Petrofabric study using electron channeling patterns of quartzes and hematites in dual-phase banded iron formations

Abstract

Research in deformation of rocks requires the understanding of structure-property relationship. The study of structure-property relationships requires knowledge of the crystallographic texture on a local scale. Electron Channeling in scanning microscope has been used to analyze textures of local features in a microstructure, misorientations between grains and the spatial arrangement of grains of individual crystallographic orientations can be determined. This information is critical for a mechanical understanding of microstructure evolution during the deformation of rocks. Petrofabric analysis using Electron Channeling Patterns can use normal geological thin sections and mounted sections, which allows relatively fast and easy interpretation and allows one to determine the relationship between a microstructural feature and the individual orientations of its grains. The most efficient and satisfactory way of accomplishing this task is by direct electronic detection and indexing of Kikuchi patterns, which requires modification of the microscope, at considerable cost. This study, however, has been undertaken using only an unmodified SEM with electron channeling capability.