Element and mineral mapping
The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) employs a suite of advanced 2D-scanning techniques for the characterization of rocks and other geo-logical materials within the department of mineral resources.
Main areas of work
These 2D-scanning methods are used to address a wide range of geoscientific questions, particularly in resource exploration and mineral processing (process mineralogy), enabling spatially resolved analyses of the chemical, mineralogical, and textural properties of rocks. The samples analyzed range from drill cores at the meter scale to thin sections that can be examined at the micrometer scale. The acquisition of spatially resolved spectral data facilitates the integration of information from different techniques, allowing for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the distribution of nearly all elements in the periodic table as well as a large number of minerals. These methods, along with their data processing, are continuously refined to meet the evolving needs of BGR's applied research projects.
2D-methods laboratory
A fully equipped laboratory is available in Hanover:
- Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy core scanner (LIBS)
- Spatially resolved energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis (µEDXRF)
- Hyperspectral core scanner (HSI)
- Cathodoluminescence microscopy (CL)
- Scanning electron microscopy with Mineral Liberation Analyzer (SEM-MLA)
- 2D-Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time of flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS)
- 2D-Raman-microscopy
