Quantitative Analysis of Phases in Zeolite Bearing Rocks from Full X-ray Diffraction Profiles

Abstract

It is shown that quantitative analysis of zeolite phases in mineral mixtures can be performed using calculated whole-pattern X-ray diffraction profiles and Bragg-Brentano patterns. The method was tested on binary and ternary standard mixtures containing quartz, heulandite, chabazite and stellerite, and gave zeolite weight percentages correct to within a few per cent. Structure analyses of the zeolites were necessary to obtain good calculated profiles. The platy zeolites heulimdite and stellerite had severe preferred orientation problems, which were minimised experimentally by adding Al powder diluent and an epoxy resin, and regrinding. Analyses of field samples are also described.