PNNL

Mindy Zimmer joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2015 and supports the National Security Directorate as a geochemist. In this role, Zimmer uses mass spectrometry and is the primary operator of Cameca IMS 1280—which includes maintenance and development of elemental imaging and isotopic analysis methods for varied applications (nuclear forensics, chemistry, geology, biology, planetary science, materials science).

Other techniques and tools Zimmer is routinely involved in include:

• Advanced sample preparation techniques (ion milling, indium mounts, silver pressing, polishing variety of materials, plus fluxing, fusing, acid digestion, column chemistry, pressed powders)
• Electron microscopy (standard and field emission scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe) for imaging, qualitative and quantitative analysis
• Wet chemistry (titrations, precipitations, ion-selective electrodes)

Prior to PNNL, Zimmer worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where she was involved in the application of mass spectrometry to nuclear forensics and was responsible for development of elemental and isotopic analytical methods for application to nuclear forensics, geological, and surface science studies. She also led the development of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry methods for analysis of rare earth elements in uranium ore concentrates, also known as yellowcake.

• Nuclear Forensics
• Nuclear Nonproliferation
• Secondary Ionization Mass Spectrometry
• Isotope Geochemistry

• PhD in Earth science, Boston University
• MS in Earth and planetary sciences, University of New Mexico
• BS in geological science, Michigan State University

• International Association of Geoanalysts
• European Association of Geochemistry

• National Nuclear Security Administration Joule Award, 2023

• Measurement of isotope ratios in complex matrices WA Lamberti, HE King, WC Horn, MM Zimmer, G MacLeod, RJ Pottorf, Leonard J Srnka. US Patent 9,128,076, 2015

2023

• D Willingham, J Wimpenny, E Groopman, T Williamson, T Tenner, B Naes, Mindy Zimmer, Heather Cunningham, Kim Knight, Spatially Resolved Characterisation of Low Mass Fraction Uranium Glass Working Reference Materials, Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research. 4 (2023) 893-906. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggr.12519

2022

• DJ Rasmussen, TA Plank, DC Roman, MM Zimmer, Magmatic water content controls the pre-eruptive depth of arc magmas. Science 375 (2022), 1169-1172. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abm5174

2020

• Dallas D Reilly, Chelsie L Beck, Edgar C Buck, John B Cliff, Andrew M Duffin, Timothy G Lach, Martin Liezers, Kellen WE Springer, Stephanie J Tedrow, Mindy M Zimmer, Focused ion beam for improved spatially-resolved mass spectrometry and analysis of radioactive materials for uranium isotopic analysis. Talanta 211 (2020) 120720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2020.120720

2017

• Bonamici, C.E., Kinman, W.S., Fournelle, J.H. et al. A geochemical approach to constraining the formation of glassy fallout debris from nuclear tests. Contrib Mineral Petrol 172, 2 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-016-1320-2

2016

• David Willingham; Benjamin E. Naes; Patrick G. Heasler; Mindy M. Zimmer; Christopher A. Barrett; R. Shane Addleman, Image segmentation for uranium isotopic analysis by SIMS: Combined adaptive thresholding and marker controlled watershed approach. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 34, 03H106 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4940150

2015

• L.A. Lewis, K.B. Knight, J.E. Matzel, S.G. Prussin, M.M. Zimmer, W.S. Kinman, F.J. Ryerson, I.D. Hutcheon, Spatially-resolved analyses of aerodynamic fallout from a uranium-fueled nuclear test, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 148 (2015) 183-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.006

2014

• Zimmer, M.M., Kinman, W.S., Kara, A.H., Steiner, R.E., Evaluation of the Homogeneity of the Uranium Isotope Composition of NIST SRM 610/611 by MC-ICP-MS, MC-TIMS, and HR-SIMS, Minerals 4, 541-522, 2014
• King, H.E., Zimmer, M.M., Horn, W.C., Lamberti, W.A., and Janoos, F., Sulfur Isotope Studies in Solid Organics: A Protocol for Utilizing Heterogeneous Standards and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Energy and Fuels 28, 2446-2453, 2014
• King, H.E., Walters, C.C., Horn, W.C., Zimmer, M.M., Heines, M.M., Lamberti, W.A., Kliewer, C., Pottorf, R.J., Macleod, G., Sulfur isotope analysis of bitumen and pyrite associated with thermal sulfate reduction in reservoir carbonates at the Big Piney–La Barge production complex, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 134, 210-220, 2014

2013

• Plank, T., Kelley, K.A., Zimmer, M.M., Hauri, E.H., and Wallace, P.J., Why do mafic arc magmas contain ~4% water on average? Earth and Planetary Science Letters 364, 168-179, 2013

2010

• Zimmer, M.M., Plank, T., Hauri, E.H., Yogodzinski, G.M., Stelling, P., Larsen, J., Singer, G., Jicha, B., Mandeville, C., and Nye, C.J., The Role of Water in Generating the Calc-alkaline Trend: New Volatile Data for Aleutian Magmas and a New Tholeiitic Index, Journal of Petrology 12, 2411-2444, 2010

2008

• Wade, J.A., Plank, T., Hauri, E.H., Kelley, K.A., Roggensack, K., Zimmer, M.M., Prediction of magmatic water contents via measurement of H2O in clinopyroxene phenocrysts, Geology 36, 799-802, 2008

2004

• Zimmer, M.M., Fischer, T.P., Hilton, D.R., Alvarado, G.E., Sharp, Z.D., and Walker, J.A., Nitrogen systematics and gas fluxes of subduction zones: insights from Costa Rica arc volatiles, G 3 – Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 5, Q05J11, doi:10.1029/2003GC000651 (2004)

2002

• Fischer, T.P., Hilton, D.R., Zimmer, M.M., Shaw, A.M., Sharp, Z.D., and Walker, J.A., Subduction and recycling of nitrogen along the Central American margin, Science 297, 1154-1157, 2002