Autoradiography by X-ray-excited optical luminescence (XEOL): Application to scheelite and fluorite mineralisation

Potts, P. J. and Tindle, A. G. (1990). Autoradiography by X-ray-excited optical luminescence (XEOL): Application to scheelite and fluorite mineralisation. Chemical Geology, 83(1-2) pp. 39–45.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2541(90)90138-W

Abstract

This paper investigates the practical application of XEOL as an autoradiography technique of use in characterising the mineralogy of geological samples. A simple apparatus is described in which thin sections are excited with a low-power X-ray tube operated at 19 kV, 0.9 mA. Luminescence is detected on photographic film (400 ASA) using a camera focused through a leaded glass window onto the rear of the thin section. XEOL autoradiographs, recorded for exposure times varying from 3 to 120 min., are presented for zinc sulphide powder (a test sample), scheelite (in a wolframite-bearing quartz vein) and fluorite plus calcite (in a fluorite-calcite-quartz vein) the latter two samples being collected from mineralised localities in the Eastern Highlands of Scotland, U.K. These XEOL autoradiographs show not only the distribution of the specified phases, but also delineate textural information of value in interpreting mineralisation processes.

Viewing alternatives

Metrics

Item Actions

Export

You can export this page using these formats Digital Object Identifier - DOI