About us: Our Team & Partners

The company was established in September 1999 as MSA (Microscopic Substance Analyses) through the outsourcing of the "lignite quality" department of LAUBAG AG (now part of Lausitz Energie Bergbau AG, briefly: LEAG). Since then, analyzing lignite quality for the lignite deposits in the Lausitz mining district has been one of our main activities.

Considering the internationalization of our clients, primarily driven by global archeometric investigations involving our new branch in Tübingen, we decided to change the company's name to LAOP (Laboratories for Applied Organic Petrology). Over the following years, our company expanded its range of tasks, resulting in the current employment of 11 professionals across our branches in Lauta and Tübingen.

Team


Ansprechpartner
Claudia NiemzGeologist

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91180

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Education:

  • Study of Geology, Bergakademie Freiberg

Range of activities:

As business executive Claudia takes care of all administrative tasks and a trouble-free routine. She is also in charge of quality analyses using microscopy.

Specialization:

  • Geology of fuels
  • Microscopy of lignite and its refined products
Details
Ansprechpartner
Monika MeuselGeologist

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91182

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Education: 

  • Geology technician, ZAS Johanngeorgenstadt
  • Studies at the Technical College of Geology, Bergakademie Freiberg

Range of activities:

As head of laboratory Monika is the contact person for all questions about processing and preparation of samples and cuticular analyses.

Specialization:

  • Organic petrology (lignite)
  • Preparation of polished sections
  • Maceration and specimen preparation
  • Cuticular analysis
  • Sampling
  • Storage
Details
Ansprechpartner
Dr. Bertrand LigouisDr. en Sciences de la Terre

Tel.: +49 (0) 7071 297 4688

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Education:

  • Studies and PhD in Earth Science, Université            d´Orléans, France
  • Director of the Research Laboratory of Organic Petrology (University Tübingen)
  • Research Associate Department of Geology, Geochemistry, Oil and Coal Deposits, RWTH Aachen

Range of activities:

Bertrand is the director of the Laboratory for Applied Organic Petrology (LAOP) in Tübingen. He is specialized in petrography of coals and oil shales. His innovative research activities in the development and the application of organic petrological methods in archeology, pedology and environmental science attract attention worldwide.

Specialization:

  • Coal- and oil-gas-geology
  • Organic petrology
Details
Ansprechpartner
Frank BretschneiderGeologist

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 959994

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Education:

  • Studies of Chemistry, TU Chemnitz
  • Studies of Geology/Paleontology (basic course), TU Bergakademie Freiberg
  • Studies of Geology (main course), University Marburg

Range of activities:

Frank supervises the XRF mapping of the surface mines Nochten and Welzow-Süd and is engaged in in-field and laboratory application of X-ray fluorescence analyses. Further he handles sediment petrography topics as well as diverse issues of scanning electron microscopy.

Specialization:

  • Macro petrography of lignite
  • Geochemistry of sediments
  • Deposit modeling
  • Radiation protection officer
  • Certified rope access technician
  • Scanning electron microscopy
Details
Ansprechpartner
Martin PfeifferGeologist

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722-959995

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Education:

  • Studies of Geology/Paleontology, TU Bergakademie Freiberg

Range of activities:

Martin deals with the lignite geology at the surface mine Reichwalde and supports the XRF mapping in the surface mine Nochten. Further he is certified as rope access technician.

Specialization:

  • Petrology
  • Geology of mineral deposits and geology of fuels
  • Macro petrography of lignite
  • Certified rope access technician
Details
Ansprechpartner
Nora PfeifferGeologist

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 959995

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Education:

  • Studies of Geology/Paleontology, TU Bergakademie Freiberg

Range of activities:

In addition to her professional discipline microscopy, Nora is one of the company's radiation protection officers. Further she is responsible for the deposit modeling in terms of lignite quality for the upper seam at the surface mine Nochten.

Specialization:

  • Geology of mineral deposits
  • Sedimentology
  • Volcanology
  • Petrology
Details
Ansprechpartner
Silvio PauluschTechnician - Geology

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91180

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Education:

  • Carpenter and furniture maker

Range of activities:

As person responsible for our core logging facility in Schwarze Pumpe Silvio guarantees a trouble-free geological routine. Moreover he is a highly experienced sampler and supports us in many ways using his craftsmanship.

Specialization:

  • Skilled sampler
  • Equipment manager
Details
Ansprechpartner
Danny LehmannTechnician - Geology

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91180

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Education:

  • Construction material tester

Range of activities:

Danny, who reinforces our team in rope-supported work, is experienced both as sampler and as assistant in field geology. Furthermore he has a profound knowledge of soil mechanics.

Specialization:

  • Many years of experience in a geotechnical test laboratory
  • Certified rope access technician
  • Skilled sampler 
Details
Ansprechpartner
Daniela FockeGeologist

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 952701

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Education:

  • Studies of Geology/Paleontology, TU Bergakademie Freiberg

Range of activities:

Daniela is responsible for sample preparation and analysis of light and heavy minerals as well as for issues of scanning electron microscopy. In addition she deals with the lignite geology at the surface mines Welzow-Süd and Jänschwalde.

Specialization:

  • Geology of mineral deposits
  • Petrology
  • Hydrogeology
  • Engineering geology
  • Heavy mineral analysis
  • Scanning electron microscopy

Details
Fabian AlbersGeoscientist

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 952701

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Education:

  • Bachelor Geosciences, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
  • Master Geosciences, Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Range of activities:

Fabian is responsible for field geology, sampling, XRF mapping and lignite quality modeling of the main seam in the open-pit mine Nochten.

Specialization:

  • Sedimentology
  • Resource geology
  • Structural geology
  • Petrology
  • Geographic Information Systems
Details
Josephine Köckritz-SauerTechnician - Laboratory

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91182

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Education:

  • Study of Land Use and Water Management, BTU Cottbus

Range of activities:

Josephine is responsible for the processing and preparation of samples, as well as the preparation of slides for microscopy. Additionally, she supports geological sampling and measurements in open-pit mining.

Specialization:

  • Sampling
  • Processing
  • Preparation of polishes sections
  • Measurements
  • Archiving
Details

Partners

Universität Tübingen

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Brunnen- und Bohrlochinspektion GmbH

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Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe

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Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg

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Freistaat Sachsen

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GEOmontan Gesellschaft für angewandte Geologie mbH Freiberg

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Dr. Georg Szczendzina

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IWB Dresden

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Lausitzer Analytik GmbH

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Mikro Kern Systeme für Mikrotechnik

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PELCON Materials & Testing ApS

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Steinmüller Engineering

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UBeRU - Umweltberatung Rutsch

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LAUTECH GmbH

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Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad

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Apikal Anlagenbau GmbH

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PEWO Energietechnik GmbH

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Membership

Geokompetenzzentrum Freiberg e.V.

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Deutsche Gesellschaft für Elektronenmikroskopie

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European Microscopy Society

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Bund Deutscher Geowissenschaftler e.V.

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