Complete analysis of plagioclase and potassic feldspars

Geochemistry typically encounters several mineral types from one sampling. This is true in the case of analyzing Martian analog basalt from terrestrial craters.

A sample of basalt collected from craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, US, was studied with XRD and XRF. The XRF results suggest a high phosphorus basalt primarily comprised of plagioclase and potassic feldspars, composed of 19 mineral oxides. XRD analysis identified plagioclase feldspars (anorthite, albite), k-spars (orthoclase, microcline and sanidine), hematite, augite, apatite, pyroxene, and olivine (forsterite).

The resolution and speed of the Thermo Scientific™ ARL™ EQUINOX 100 Diffractometer enables to fully analyze geologic materials from qualitative phase assemblages to full quantitative phase analysis. Pairing this with the Thermo Scientific™ ARL™ QUANT’X EDXRF Spectrometer elemental information, these techniques provide a complete synergistic analysis of the alkaline basalt sample.

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