Quick assays in mineral identification
A guide to experiments for mineral collectors and geoscientists in field work
About 50 chemical elements can be identified as the main constituents of minerals, slacks,
alloys, and other substances by means of simple and inexpensive inorganic analysis; a dozen
elements can be detected even in trace amounts. Such quick tests require only a basic
knowledge of inorganic chemistry, no more than two to ten minutes are needed for each
assay. Modern small hand-held butane torches are recommended as heat sources. The tests
have been selected and, in some cases, further developed in order to avoid the use of
extremely poisonous and hazardous chemicals; detailed safety hints are given.
This manual is intended to be used by persons who have no access to the facilities of
modern scientific research institutes, such as prospectors in the field, scientists working at
scantily equipped services and companies in less developed countries, as well as teachers,
mineral collectors, and hobby chemists.
In the General Part a historical introduction is followed by a description of the principal
techniques and equipment; the classical tests used throughout the 19th and the first half of the
20th century are described in detail and some basic information is given concerning the use of
the wet method, e.g. spot tests, fusion reactions and simplified filtration methods.
The Special Part presents identification tests for the different elements in the alphabetical
order of their element symbols. Some remarks are added on the abundance and the
distribution of the elements within the geological cycle. Further instructions are given for the
preparation of test papers and reagents as well as a review of staining tests for carbonates and
the solubility of more abundant minerals. Miscellaneous hints include internet connections to
supply sources, literature, and other useful information.
The Appendix contains a list of the necessary equipment and chemicals, references, a
colour table of the normal spectra of alkali metals produced by cheap grating spectroscopes, a
short glossary of geological and physical terms which may be unfamiliar to some users, and a
subject index.
The PDF document can be downloaded free of charge.(88 pages, 7 figures, 1229 KB)
The author Prof. Dr. Walter A. Franke has studied chemistry and mineralogy, he was
Professor of Mineralogy at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, for more than a quarter of a
century and still gives regular lectures on topics such as environmental technology, rock
weathering, deserts, radioactive waste storage, and quick assays.
Comments and questions may be directed to the author:
Prof. Dr. Walter A. Franke
Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Geoscience, Haus B
Malteserstr. 74 - 100
12249 Berlin - Germany