Analytical operation
The Quanta 600 FEG/Quanta 650 FEG scanning electron microscopes are used exclusively for analysing carbon-coated specimens with a highly polished surface in a high vacuum.
Scanning electron microscopes and EDX elemental analysis are combined in the MLA-Suite 3.1 software package from JKTech (FEI Company) for mineral liberation analysis (MLA).
The following samples can be analysed:
- Grain specimens in epoxy embedding
- Grain scatter specimens on glass slides
- Rock and mineral specimens in epoxy embedding
- Rock and mineral specimens on glass slides
- Rock thin sections
- Polished rock and ore pieces
Sample holder for measurement operation:
- Round sample holder for 8 epoxy round blocks and ore sections with a diameter of 40 mm
- Round sample holder for 14 epoxy round blocks and ore sections with a diameter of 30 mm
- Round sample holder for 14 epoxyround blocks and ore sections diameter 25 mm
- Holder for polished rock slabs and drill cores
- Holder for 12 thin sections or grain preparations on glass 25 x 48 mm
- Other sample holders manufactured in-house
Sample preparation
The following specimens can be produced from these geo-materials in the laboratory for examination with the scanning electron microscope:
- Loose, sieved/unsieved grain samples, grain sizes 5 - 0.002 mm
e.g. from ore processing, drilling cuttings, recycling, crushed solid rock
Embedding in epoxy round blocks 40/30/25 mm in diameter and polishing
Streuco grain samples
. e.g. from ore processing, drill cuttings, recycling, crushed solid rock
Embedding in epoxy round blocks 40/30/25 mm diameter and polishing
Stretched grain preparations in epoxy on glass 28 x 48 mm and polishing
- Rock and ore samples 20 - 5 cm piece size
e.g. B. Hand pieces, drill cores, slit samples
Embedding in epoxy round blocks 40/30/25 mm diameter and polishing
Cutting and thin section preparations on glass 28 x 48 mm and polishing
Polishing of halved drill core sections with a length of 15 cm
Sample preparation:
- Vacuum coating system Leica (BalTec) MED 020
(graphite coating with carbon filament)
Research
Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA)
The scanning electron microscopes are specially set up for Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA).
The MLA software offers the following applications for quantification:
- Mineral content (modal) in grain preparations and rocks.
- Particle and grain size distributions for each mineral type in grain preparations and rocks.
- Particle and grain shapes for each mineral type in grain preparations and rocks.
- Mineral associations in rocks, ores and grain preparations.
- Degree of liberation for each mineral species in grain preparations.
- Determination of other parameters relevant to ore beneficiation in grain preparations.
- Search for rare mineral grains in grain and rock preparations.
- Dissolution of intergrowths of different phases in particles.
- Dissolution of intergrowths of similar phases in particles.
Mineral determination with EDX analysis in the backscattered electron image (BSE)
The Quanta 600 FEG/Quanta 650 FEG scanning electron microscopes enable largely distortion-free and grey tone-constant imaging of ores and minerals in the backscattered electron image (BSE) at 100 - 10.
The EDX system Bruker Quantax Dual XFlash 5010/Bruker Nano Dual XFlash 5030 can be used to chemically analyse phases with grain diameters > 3 µm (energy dispersive X-ray analysis).
Current research projects
- Ore mineralogy of skarn ores of the Erzgebirge
- Ore mineralogy of the iron ore deposits of Kiruna
- Mineralogy of volcanites, carbonatites, gabbros, metabasites
- Monazite in the metamorphic series of the Saxothuringian zone (SAXMON)
- Age dating of monazite with the electron beam microprobe
- Characterisation of power plant ashes and sewage sludge ashes
- Li-mica (Zinnwaldite) in granite-ores of the Saxon Ore Mountains
- Quantification of the heavy mineral content of sediments and metasediments for dating and provenance analysis
- Characterisation of ceramics and archaeometry
- Characterisation of recycled products