Quantitative mineralogical analysis of carbonate sediments by X‐ray diffraction: a new, automatic method for sediments with low carbonate content

Abstract

ABSTRACTA new X‐ray diffraction method has been developed whereby the weight percentages of aragonite and low and high‐magnesium calcite are determined from the integrated peak areas of samples. Peak areas are measured by a step scanning method. The weight percentages of MgCO3 in calcite are determined from the angular position of the calcite peak. This technique uses a direct calculation method which simplifies the preparation of the samples and the calibration processes and increases the quality of the results. The fully automatic method uses a desk‐top computer to guide the diffractometer and to carry out the necessary calculations. Tests on precision and accuracy of the method indicate that results with less than ± 4% error (mineral %) and ± 0.6% error (MgCO3%) are obtainable for all samples even those with a low (10%) carbonate content.