Find out how our solutions can advance your knowledge of geological exploration, fossil fuels, minerals, and mining
Interested in improving your geological sciences, minerals, and mining knowledge with our analytical solutions? Whether you’re a student, a researcher, or a professor, we’ve got a wide range of useful articles on our most relevant application examples for:
The materials researched and the analytical equipment used often overlap with Agriculture and Food Sciences, and Environmental and Climate Science, - so check out those pages for more information! Method abbreviations are explained at the bottom of this page.
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Exploration is at the heart of geological science research. This research focuses on surveying and prospecting for minerals and materials. Geoscience, also known as Earth science, focuses on exploring and studying how the Earth and its materials work and evolve. Take a look below to find out how our analytical instruments can support you with this!
Exploration | Method | Sample | Application Note Title (Link) |
|---|---|---|---|
Base metal mineralization - mineral distributions | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Base metal mineralization in The Great Basin of the Western United States (Seminal paper, basis for our ASD work in mining) | Reflectance Spectroscopy Applied to Exploration for Mineral Deposits and Geothermal Systems |
Bauxite - exploration | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Bauxite, gibbsite Al(OH)3, boehmite γ-AlO(OH), and diaspore α-AlO(OH) with iron oxides
| |
Chlorite minerals - identification | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | White micas, chlorite group minerals. (Discussion of Halo and scalars from Halo) | Automated reflectance spectroscopy for deposit recovery - SEG 2014 poster |
Drill core and cuttings mineralogy - mineral composition | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Clay Minerals, silicates, Zeolites, opal, calcite, and iron oxide (geothermal project) | Rapid Characterization of Drill Core and Cutting Mineralogy using Infrared Spectroscopy |
Geochronology - mineral composition | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | U/Pb geochronological investigations of the western Avalon Zone, Newfoundland | |
Mapping mineral deposits - absorption signatures | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Mineral deposits in Newfoundland and Labrador | |
Mineral mapping – ground-truthing | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Copper ore, oil shale, and pulp manufacturing | |
Mineralogy - mineral deposits | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Mineral deposits | |
Phyllosilicate minerals - composition | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | The dominant phyllosilicate minerals: smectites, illites, kaolinite, and chlorite in sedimentary systems | Automated reflectance spectroscopy for sedimentary basin characterization |
Although fossil fuels are a declining resource, surveying and prospecting to find and extract them is still a vital part of our infrastructure and research. Check out our Energy and Power Engineering page to find out more about petrochemical analysis for the recycling of fuels and the reduction of pollutants. Otherwise, check out our application notes below to find out more about our solutions in fossil fuel research!
Fossil Fuels | Method | Sample | Application Note Title (Link) |
|---|---|---|---|
Coal - elemental composition | XRF | Na2O, MgO, Al2O3, SiO2, P2O5, S, K2O, CaO, TiO2, MnO, Fe2O3, SrO, and BaO in unashed coal samples | Analysis of inorganic major and minor compounds in un-ashed coal samples prepared as pressed powder |
Coal - mineralogical composition | XRD | Quartz(SiO2), kaolinite(Al2Si2O5(OH)4), calcite(CaCO3), dolomite(CaMg(CO3)2, Siderite(FeCO3), and anatase(TiO2) | |
Coal - sample preparation for ICP-OES elemental analysis | SPE | Thermal coal as fuel, metallurgical coal for steelmaking (lower S and P) | Characterization of Coal and its By-Products Using Borate Fusions and ICP-OES Analyses |
Coal - sample preparation for ICP-OES elemental analysis | SPE | Coal, Coal Ash, and Coal Fly Ash | Characterization of Coal, Coal Ash, and Coal Fly Ash using Borate Fusion for ICP Analysis |
Crude oil - Sulfur content | XRF | Sulfur in crude oil | Determination of sulfur content in crude oil according to ISO 8754 |
Drilling mud - particle size | LD | Barite, mud | |
Enhanced oil recovery - polymer particle size | DLS | (Surfactant and hydrogel polymers ) Polyacrylamide powder for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) | |
Shale - mineral identification | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Clay mineralogy. Brief comparison of NIR, XRF, XRD, and QEMSCAN. |
All materials have their own composition. Mineralogy is the study of how the materials we use are made up and interact with each other – from rocks and ores to meteorites. Below, we’ve put together a few application examples of our mineral research solutions. Take a look to find out more!
Mineralogy | Method | Sample | Application Note Title (website link) |
|---|---|---|---|
Base metal sulfides - elemental concentration | XRF | Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Co, Mo, Bi, Sb, Cd, Ag, Au, Se, and Te in sulfides | |
Fluorspar - purity | XRF | CaF2 - Fluorspar | Purity check of fluorite (fluorspar, CaF2) prepared as fused beads |
Manganese ore - elemental composition | XRF | Mn, Fe, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Ca, and Ba in manganese ore | Analysis of manganese ore samples prepared as pressed pellets |
Meteorite - crystallographic Phase identification | XRF | Olivine, (Mg, Fe)2SiO4, Ca-poor pyroxene CA) Si, Fe, Ca)Si2O6, Ca-rich pyroxene (diopside), CaMgSi2O6, spinel, MgAl2O4, anorthite, CaAl2Si2O8, and sodalite, Na8(Al6Si6O24)Cl2 | |
Meteorite - elemental composition | XRF | Meteorite: Si, Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, Mo, Al, P, S, Cl, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Ti, Zn, and Zr | Elemental and phase analysis of a Northwest-Africa 2086 meteorite |
Minerals - elemental composition | XRF | Minerals, Na2O2, MgO, Al2O3, SiO2, P2O5, K2O, CaO, TiO2, MnO, Fe2O3, Trace elements Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, and Nb | |
Minerals - elemental composition | XRF | Elements in general geological materials | |
Minerals - elemental composition | XRF | Mineral deposits, wide-range oxides, SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Mn3O4, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, P2O5, and SO3 | Zetium - Analysis of iron ores using the WROXI wide-range oxides application |
Minerals - elemental composition | XRF | Mineral deposits, wide-range oxides, SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Mn3O4, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, P2O5, and SO3 | |
Minerals - elemental composition | XRF | Mineral deposits, wide-range oxides, SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Mn3O4, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, P2O5, SO3 | WROXI - synthetic wide-range oxide standards for fused bead major and minor element analysis |
Minerals - hydration behavior | XRD | Smectite, vermiculite-like clays, and some hydrous micas | XRD in transmission geometry with controlled temperature and relative humidity |
Minerals - trace elements | XRF | Trace elements in minerals | Zetium - Trace element analysis of geological materials using Zetium and Pro-Trace |
Olivines - phase identification, crystal structure refinement | XRD | Olivines, Pyroxenes, Multiferroic materials, and LiCrGe2O6 | Investigation of the crystal structure of the pyroxene LiCrGe2O6 |
Rocks and soils - elemental composition | XRF | Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Le, and Nd in rocks and soils | |
Sn-W-Pb Ore - mineralogical composition | XRD | Sn-W-Nb Ore | |
Sulfide deposits - mineral variations | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Sulfide deposits, Tulks Volcanic Belt, Central Newfoundland. Very good examples of how to use NIR in an exploration project. |
As technology improves and opens up exciting new possibilities, minerals processing has become increasingly automated. At Malvern Panalytical, we’re always coming up with new tools and equipment to do new things with slurries, grains, and sands. Take a look below to find out more about how these tools enable new minerals processing research!
Minerals Processing | Method | Sample | Application Note Title (Link) |
|---|---|---|---|
Aluminosilicates - sample preparation for XRF | SPE | Sand and Aluminosilicates | Determination of the Composition of Sand and Aluminosilicates Using Borate Fusion for XRF Analysis |
Calcium Carbonate - particle size | LD | Calcium carbonate | Using on-line particle size analysis to improve precipitated calcium carbonate production efficiency |
Gypsum - particle size and shape | MDRS | Gypsum slurry | Analyzing gypsum slurries using the Morphologi automated image analysis system |
Heavy metal sands - mineralogical composition | XRD | Heavy Metal Sands (Titanium, Zirconium, Thorium) | Analysis of heavy mineral sands for industrial process control |
Limestone - elemental composition | XRF | Limestone: CaO, Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, and Fe2O3 with traces of Sr, K, Mn, P, S, Ti, and Pb | Quick quantification of major and trace compounds in limestone |
Limestone - elemental composition | XRF | Limestone/dolomite | |
Limestone - elemental concentration | XRF | Limestone, Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, Fe2O3 with races MnO, P2O5, and Pb | |
Limestone - sample preparation for XRF | SPE | Limestone, metals in lime and limestone | Determination of metals in lime and limestone using borate fusion for ICP-OES |
As one of our primary industries, mining and extracting metals and fuels is at the heart of everything we do. Research and innovation in this field focuses on finding new ways to make processes such as extraction and refining more efficient. We’ve put together a selection of examples on how our analytical instruments can be part of your mining engineering solutions. Check them out below to discover more!
Mining | Method | Sample | Application Note Title (Link) |
|---|---|---|---|
Ag and Au ore processing - elemental concentration | XRF | Ag and Au on activated carbons (from the pulp and leach processes in precious metal ore processing) | |
Ag in ore - elemental concentration | XRF | Ag in Ore | |
Base metal sulfides - elemental concentration | XRF | Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Co, Mo, Bi, Sb, Cd, Ag, Au, Se, and Te in sulfide ores | |
Bauxite - elemental composition | XRF | Ni, Zn, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mg, Al, Si in Al2O3, Fe2O3 and TiO2 | Analysis of major and minor elements in bauxite samples prepared as fused beads |
Bauxite - elemental composition | XRF | Bauxite | Zetium - Analysis of bauxite using the WROXI wide-range oxides application |
Bauxite - elemental composition | XRF | Bauxite (hydrated alumina, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Si, Fe, Ti + trace metal oxides) | Zetium - Quantification of major and minor elements in bauxite prepared as fused beads |
Bauxite - grade control | XRD | Hematite, goethite, and magnetite, as well as the gangue minerals gibbsite Al(OH)3, kaolinite Al2Si2O5(OH)4, and quartz SiO2 | |
Bauxite - sample preparation for XRF | SPE | Bauxite (hydrated alumina, Al2O3, Fe2O3 + trace metal oxides) | |
Bauxite/Iron Ore - mineralogical composition | XRD | Iron Ore, Bauxite | X-ray diffraction applications for the mining industry |
Chromium ores - sample preparation for ICP-OES | SPE | Chromic oxide (Cr2O3), in which the proportions of Mg2+, Fe2+ and Cr3+, Al3+, and Fe3+ may vary | |
Copper Mining - agglomeration optimization | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Copper, acid, and water | Potential Cost Savings from Agglomeration Optimization in Copper Mining |
Copper Ores - mineralogical analysis | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Copper Ores (good model results on a good-sized data set for quantitative mineralogy) | |
Copper ore - mineralogical composition | XRD | 23 minerals in copper ore including chalcopyrite CuFeS2, cuprite Cu2O, tenorite CuO, and sulfates such as brochantite Cu4[(OH)6(SO4)] and serpierite Ca(Cu, Zn)4(SO4)2(OH)6•3H2O | |
Iron ore - elemental composition | XRF | Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn ores in iron ore | |
Iron ore - elemental composition | XRF | Fe2O3 containing Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and As | Faster analysis of iron ores with Zetium and SumXcore technology |
Iron ore – grading general article (not specific to our product) | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Iron ore samples from Noamnudi mines, Jharkhand, India (Hematite, Magnetite, Limonite, and Siderite) | |
Iron ore - mineralogical composition | XRD | Iron ore | |
Iron ore - mineralogical composition | XRD | Iron ore, goethite, hematite, gibbsite-kaolinite-quartz | |
Iron ore - oxide content and basicity | XRD | FeO content and basicity | Analysis of iron sinter by X-ray diffraction reduces CO2 emissions |
Iron Ore - sample preparation for elemental analysis | SPE | NaT flux to fuse iron ore | Using sodium tetraborate (NaT) flux to prepare iron ores by fusion for XRF analysis |
Iron Ore - sample preparation for elemental analysis | SPE | Iron Ore, fused beads using Borate Fusion | |
Nickel ore - elemental composition | XRF | Ni, Co, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Al, Cr, Ca, and Si in nickel ore | |
Phosphates - elemental and mineralogical composition | XRD | Mining for Phosphates - Yara's Mine in Finland | |
Phosphates - elemental composition | XRF | High phosphate minerals, production of phosphoric acid - including Fe2O3, Al2O3, and SiO2 | Zetium - Analysis of phosphates using the WROXI wide-range oxides application |
Rock face - mineral libraries | UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR | Model Mine face (rock face) | On the Development of a Hyperspectral Library for Autonomous Mining Systems |
Our products and technologies are described on the Products pages. Below you can find a quick reference to the properties measured by our instruments, together with the measurement name and its abbreviation. Click on each method to find out more about it!
Abbreviation | Method Name | Instrument(s) | Measured Property |
|---|---|---|---|
DLS | Zetasizer | Molecular size, hydrodynamic radius RH, particle size, size distribution, stability, concentration, agglomeration | |
ELS | Zetasizer | Zeta potential, particle charge, suspension stability, protein mobility | |
ITC | MicroCal ITC | Binding affinity, thermodynamics of molecular reactions in solution | |
DSC | Microcal DSC | Denaturing (unfolding) of large molecules, stability of macromolecules | |
GCI | Creoptix WAVEsystem | Real-time binding kinetics and binding affinity, label free with fluidics | |
IMG | Morphologi 4 | Imaging of particles, automated shape and size measurement | |
MDRS | Morphologi 4-ID | Imaging of particles, automated shape and size measurement, chemical identification and contaminant detection | |
LD | Mastersizer
| Particle size, size distribution | |
NTA | NanoSight | Particle size, size distribution, and concentration | |
SEC or GPC | Size exclusion chromatography / | OMNISEC | Molecular size, molecular weight, oligomeric state, polymer or protein size and molecular structure |
SPE | Le Neo
| Fused Bead Sample preparation for XRF, Peroxide solution preparations for ICP, Flux weighing for beadmaking | |
UV/ Vis/ NIR/ SWIR | Ultra-violet / visible / near infra-red / short wave infra-red spectrometry | LabSpec
| Material identification and analysis, moisture, mineral, carbon content. Ground truthing for airborne and satellite spectroscopic techniques. |
PFTNA | CNA | In-line elemental analysis | |
XRD-C | Aeris
| Molecular crystal structure refinement, crystalline phase identification and quantification, crystalline to amorphous ratio, crystallite size analysis | |
XRD-M | Empyrean
| Residual stress, texture | |
XRD-CT | Empyrean | 3D imaging of solids, porosity, and density | |
SAXS | Empyrean | Nanoparticles, size, shape and structure | |
GISAXS | Empyrean | Nanostructured thin films and surfaces | |
HR-XRD | Empyrean
| Thin-films and epitaxial multilayers, composition, strain, thickness, quality | |
XRR | Empyrean
| Thin films and surfaces, film thickness, surface and interface roughness | |
XRF | Epsilon
| Elemental composition, elemental concentration, trace elements, contaminant detection |
