Abstract
The scanning electron microscope analysis of the Cergowa sandstones brings new data on their petrological features and chemical composition. Previous work in standard petrographic examination, e.g. polarising (PL) or cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy, displayed limited information on grain surface topography and only assumptions to their geochemistry. Both identification and characterisation of minerals are fundamental in the progress of mining and minerals processing systems. Detrital grains of the Cergowa sandstones are bound by calcite and dolomitic cement and commonly corroded by diagenetic fluids, however, in varying degrees, which is illustrated here by feldspar, quartz and dolomite minerals. Dissolution processes of marginal parts of these mineral grains resulted in corrosion, which increased the contact surface between the grains and the cement. The difference in resistance to these processes was observed not only among distinct groups of minerals, but also within the group of feldspars: between K–feldspars and minerals of plagioclase. That combination resulted in exceptionally strong cementation of the Cergowa sandstones, which is expressed by their high hardness and resistance to abrasion, freezing, and thawing. Inherent parameters of sandstones are characterised by their petrographical properties.
Highlights
Previous studies about the Cergowa sandstones, conducted mainly by using polarising (PL) or cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy [1,2,3,4], clearly demonstrate advantages of complementary approaches to its petrographic properties
Chemical composition of minerals was detected by the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), using standard analytical algorithms, where the element concentrations are normalized to 100%
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of quartz pointed by red arrows and carbonate cement pointed by blue arrows, surrounding quartz grains
Summary
Previous studies about the Cergowa sandstones, conducted mainly by using polarising (PL) or cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy [1,2,3,4], clearly demonstrate advantages of complementary approaches to its petrographic properties. Cathodoluminescence microscopy proved to be a very usable and even indispensable method in studying the Cergowa sandstones and thereby often reveals features not distinguished by other techniques [3, 4]. CL microscopy demonstrates difficulties in obtaining some data, e.g. the geochemical composition of single detrital grains and surrounding cement [4]. Used techniques in the Cergowa sandstones petrology did not enable more detailed description of a chemical composition of rock components, thereby allowed for assumptive identification of minerals. Luminescence of carbonates, which constitute a large proportion of these sandstones, is brighter than other components such as silicate minerals, which in such conditions show little or no luminescence
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