Sample Preparation for Minerals
Laboratory Preparation
Mineral crystals are cast in epoxy resin and ground using progressively finer grits of SiC grinding paper (400, 800, 1200, 1500 and 2000 grit).
The crystals are subsequently polished using alumina polishing suspensions (1.0 and 0.3 μm) on Micro-cloth polishing cloths. The polished samples are secured to aluminum stubs using conductive silver liquid paint, carbon tape or crystalbond adhesive and sputter coated with either Cu or Au. |