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Techniques for CollectorsSeparating materials

16th Apr 2010 16:06 UTCPaul Hewitt

I find a LOT of very small crystals on the order of .1 mm and smaller in mica schist. I have not found a reliable way of separating the crystals from the schist so that I can get a better look at them. They are way to small to be picked up mechanically (such as tweezers) so what can I do? The picture is 2mm wide so you can see how small those crystals are.


Paul in Pa

16th Apr 2010 17:11 UTCPeter Nancarrow 🌟 Expert

One way to manipulate tiny grains is to get the smallest size artist's sable brush you can (e.g. a size 000); lick it to a point, then just touch the tip of the fibres to the crystal to be lifted. It will stick quite readily and can easily be carried to another slide/pinhead/bristle etc for separate observation or mounting.


I have also used a single glass fibre (held in a small bead of plasticene or Blu-tak) dipped in a drop of clear adhesive (Durofix, Bostik etc) to pick up single grains down to about 20microns for XRD analysis by the Gandalfi Camera method followed by elemental analysis by SEM. The catch then is the speed required to moisten the fibre with a minimal amount of adhesive and get it attached to the specimen within the couple of seconds before the tiny drop of adhesive dries.


All has to be done under a microscope of course, and it needs a steady hand, but then so does any method of handling such small grains.


Pete N.

17th Apr 2010 12:09 UTCPaul Hewitt

Thanks Peter, I will try your suggestions. I bought an eyedropper and put some of the mica in water. I managed to manually separate some of the crystals from the mica then used the eyedropper to suck them up. By doing this several times I weeded out most of the mica. I let the water evaporate and all is well!

17th Apr 2010 15:17 UTCDonald Peck

I use a variation of Peter's method. I removed all but three or four bristles from an inexpensive watercolor brush. I use it more for removing debris, dust, etc. from micros than for manipulating single crystals, but it works for either.
 
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