X-ray-elemental map showing the distribution and variation in concentration of copper (C) in a polished thin section of Permian mudstone containing altered authigenic sheets of native copper associated with secondary copper sulphides and copper oxide alteration products.

Cameca SX50 electron probe microanalyser with vertical wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometers.

A Cameca SX50 electron microprobe completes the trio of electron beam instruments operated by the BGS. The SX50 is equipped with three fully automated wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometers and a PGT energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis system. The instrument is routinely used for quantitative analysis of the main rock-forming minerals and accessory phases, for microchemical mapping and for automated searching for rare-phases (e.g. platinum group minerals and gold).

Applications

The electron microprobe laboratory at Keyworth play a major role in projects spanning the BGS science programme, including:

Mineral CO₂ sequestration research
Radioactive waste disposal research
Metallogenesis studies
Heavy mineral-based provenance studies

Contact

Please contact Antoni Milodowski for further information

See also