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


Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91180
Education:
- Study of Geology, Bergakademie Freiberg
Range of activities:
As Managing Director, Claudia is responsible for overseeing the overall planning and ensuring the smooth execution of daily operations. She also manages the microscopy of coal samples, particularly the QMAT (Quantitative Microlithotype Analysis with Assessment of Textite).
Specialization:
- Geology of fuels
- Microscopy of lignite and its refined products

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91182
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

Tel.: +49 (0) 7071 297 4688
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

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 959994
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
- Scanning electron microscopy

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 952701
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

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 959995
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

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722-959995
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
- Radiation protection officer

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91180
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

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91180
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
- Skilled sampler
- Radiation protection officer

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 952701
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

Tel.: +49 (0) 35722 91182
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
Partners

Universität Tübingen

Brunnen- und Bohrlochinspektion GmbH

Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe

Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg

Freistaat Sachsen

LEAG

GEOmontan Gesellschaft für angewandte Geologie mbH Freiberg

Dr. Georg Szczendzina

IWB Dresden

Lausitzer Analytik GmbH

Mikro Kern Systeme für Mikrotechnik

PELCON Materials & Testing ApS

Steinmüller Engineering

UBeRU - Umweltberatung Rutsch

LAUTECH GmbH

Apikal Anlagenbau GmbH

DMT Group

PEWO Energietechnik GmbH

BTU - Brandenburgische Technische Universität
Memberships - Societies

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Elektronenmikroskopie

European Microscopy Society
