INTRODUCTION
Why apply Mineralogy?
1 mm
• Mineralogy is critical to material
characterization
• Define hosts for critical
elements- ore elements, byproducts, pathfinders,
deleterious elements
• Understand structural and
physical stability
• Understand chemical stability
100 µm
•
Multiple approaches
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Field Assessment
Schematic, images not to scale
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Hand specimen mineralogy
Quick, Cheap
Hand lens/ Optical microscope
X2-X10 magnification
1 mm
Connect to a laptop
Assess mineral textures
Determine mineral species
Assist in defining areas for
microscopic mineralogy
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Thin section work – a lost art
Slice of rock or geomaterial – 0.03 mm thick or
a ~ 1 cm block
X2- X60 magnification
Optical properties of light diffraction on mineral
surface- reflected light OR
Optical properties of light emission through the
mineral – Transmitted light
All minerals have specific and unique optical
properties- allows rapid identification assuming
those properties are known!
Also determine relationship of minerals,
textures, nature of inclusions, alteration,
paragenesis- what replaces what
Qualitative but useful
1 mm
2 mm
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Electron Microscopy
Resolution to ±0.5 µm in size (~ 500,000X magnification)
Chemical analysis in 1-10 µm spot to 50-100 ppm
Down to details
Identification of trace minerals - µXRD
Mineral atomic scale structure- TEM (50Mx
magnification)
Trace element analysis/ isotope ratios of
minerals- LAICPMS, ion probe, Pixie
Element dispersion on surface of mineralEXAFS, XANES, Mössbauer
Geomaterial structures- FTIR/Raman
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Purpose of mineralogical studies
Often same technique, different purpose
• Composition of materials that comprise
the sample under investigation
• Determine stability/reactivity
• Element concentration- major and trace
elements
• Interaction between different materials of
different compositions
• Assess behaviour
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Summary
Mineralogy – useful set of tools to determine
material composition and structure
Apply in mining at –
• Exploration
• Resources
• Mining
• Metallurgy
• Environment
• Geomaterial use and limitations