Merchantek Micromill
The Merchantek Micromill (NewWave) consists of a computer-controlled micro-drilling system that is coupled with a microscope. The Micromill enables the drilling of sample powders on a micrometer scale and has been specially developed for high-resolution sampling in studies involving stable isotopes. The machine can be used to drill narrow sample series from polished rocks or thick and thin sections, such as fine cement generations in carbonates. It is currently being used primarily to study the fine seasonal banding of deep-sea corals and mussels in order to develop archives for paleoceanography.