Project Description

Contract laboratory needed for clay analysis on clay mineral content by XRD ANalysis. For X-ray analysis, particle size analysis will be carried out on each sample to separate and prepare the clay fraction for the analyses. Samples will be prepared for XRD Analysis using a back loading preparation method. 10 % internal standard (fluoride) shall be added and the sample micronized. The micronized material will be analyzed by XRD utilizing a Panalytical Empyrean Diffractogrameter with PIXcel detector and fixed slits with Fe filtered CO-k alpha radiation. Phases will be identified using X? Pert High score plus software. XRD analysis will be used to determine the crystalline mineral phases present in the sample. The abundance of each phase (weight %) will determined by the Rietveld Refinement method. An orientation specimen will be prepared from each of the samples, the head and the clay (<2um) fraction. The glass slide shall be glycolated, and re analysed, heated, treated and reanalysed. The process of glycolation and heat treatment will make it possible to identify, the various phyllosilicates that occur in the clay fraction,