Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Minerals Lab; Attn: Dr. Kackstaetter
Campus Box 22, P.O.Box 173362
Denver, CO 80217-3362
[PROJECT TITLE]
[Your title should summarize the purpose of the paper & should include the mineral name.]
[YOUR NAME]
[GROUP PARTNER NAMES IF APPLICABLE]
[DATE]
[COURSE ID]
for
[CLIENT NAME]
[CLIENT CONTACT INFORMATION]
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken to correctly identify the submitted specimen, information contained in this report is to be considered “AS-IS” and NO WARRANTY for its correctness is given or implied. Neither Metropolitan State College of Denver, the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Science nor its affiliates, professors and students shall be liable for any loss or damage to submitted mineral samples nor for any damages, including but not limited to injuries, loss of property or profits, or incidental, consequential, exemplary, special or other damages that may result from use of reported analytical results.[PROJECT TITLE] [YOUR NAME] Page 1
CLIENT INFORMATION:
Last Name: / First Name, MI: / Date:Address: / City: / State, ZIP
Phone: / Email:
MINERAL SAMPLE INFORMATION & ANALYTICAL REQUEST:
Short Mineral Description:Where found (approx. location o.k.):
Requested Laboratory Tests (Check all that apply)
Suggestion: For destructive sample testing, please submit additional secondary sample chips of same material
☐ BASIC MINERAL IDENTIFICATION incl. XRF - NON DESTRUCTIVE
☐ ADD’L WET CHEMICAL QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS (ICP-MS / AAS / Chromatographic) - DESTRUCTIVE
☐ OPTICAL TESTS: ☐ Grain Mount - DESTRUCTIVE; ☐ Refractometer -limited to suitable samples (NON DESTR.)
☐ X-RAY DIFFRACTION ANALYSIS - DESTRUCTIVE
☐ Coming soon! SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY - NON DESTRUCTIVE
Comments:
☐ Please Return Sample: ☐ SASE included or ☐Will pick up.
☐ Discard sample after analysis: ☐ Just mail report or ☐Will pick up report / Voluntary Suggested Donation:
☐ $60 ☐ $30☐ $15☐ $8
(Make Checks payable to MSU Denver Earth Science Foundation)
By submitting the mineral sample for analysis I agree to following terms and condition: Neither Metropolitan State University of Denver, the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Science nor its affiliates, professors and students shall be liable for any loss or damage to submitted mineral samples nor for any damages, including but not limited to injuries, loss of property or profits, or incidental, consequential, exemplary, special or other damages that may result from use of reported analytical results.
Introduction
[Maximal two pages: Describe significance of the investigation in a broad context. Provide a rationale stating specific objective(s), as well as your selection criteria. How where the test methods chosen? What laboratory tests where performed on the specimens?
Example:
The submitted mineral samples from an abandoned mine just outside of Leadville, CO were subjected to the following non-destructive and destructive analytical procedures as requested.
The suite of non-destructive physical tests included observations of color and mineral cleavage as well specific testing for hardness, specific gravity, and streak. Additional analysis consisted of ultraviolet light reaction, both short and longwave, testing for radioactivity and magnetic response, organoleptic (smell, taste) assessment, and effervescence (reaction to dilute acid). Samples were also subjected to non-destructive XRF (x-ray fluorescence) measurement in order to qualify elemental composition. This test is effective for trace elements with an atomic number of Fe (iron) and greater. Estimates for other elements, such as Si, Ca, Mg can also be obtained with this method if the concentrations are sufficiently high.
Destructive testing included.... Etc.]
[Use professional technical writing voice throughout your write-up, therefore AVOID “I”, “us”, “we”, “our”, etc.]
Mineral name:[MINERAL NAME] / Mineral group:[Mineral Group]Name derivation: [Describe here]
[(Paste Picture here)]
[If not your own graphic, give references and cite!] / Crystal System: [Crystal System] [(Idealized Crystal
Crystal Class: [Crystal Class] Schematic Graphic here)])
[If not your own graphic, give references and cite!]
Chemical Formula: [Chemical Formula] / Occurrence: [Give brief description of general occurences and common localities].
Chemical Tests: / Physical Tests:
Solubility test: [Outcome of test(s) you performed] / Hardness: [test results and detail] Researched: [database hardness]
Specific Gravity: Researched: [database SG]
□Single Pan Hydrostatic: [Measured] Precision: [%]
□Pycnometer: [Measured] Precision: [%]
□Point Count Method: [Measured] Precision: [%]
Closed tube: [Short Test description, observation, and interpretation]
Color: [Observed Color]
Color (researched): [Database Color]
Microtorch Fusibility: [Short Test description, observation, and interpretation] / Cleavage: [Observed Cleavage]
Cleavage (researched): [Database Cleavage]
Thermoluminescence: [Description and observation] / Streak: [Observed Streak] / Tenacity: [Observed Tenacity]
Fluorescence (Short Wave): [Observation]
Fluorescence (Long Wave): [Observation]
(researched): [researched observation, if applicable] / Luster: [Observed Luster]
Luster (researched): [Database Luster]
Phosphorescence: [Observation] / Magnetism: [Observed]
Magnetometer Reading: / Radioactivity: [Observed]
Radioactivity Reading:
Other: [Short Test description, observation, and interpretation]
Other (researched): [researched observation, if applicable] / Effervescence: [Observed] / Diaphaneity: [Observed]
Chromatographic Chemistry:
Chromatographic geochemical analysis:
[(Paste colored / developed / UV chromatograph pictures here)] [Label spots]
Wet Paper Chromatograph(s)
Rf values:
Definite chemical elements: / Possible chemical elements:
Chromatograph interpretation / comments:
Instrumental Chemistry:
XRF geochemical analysis:
[(Paste MEASURED XRF pattern graphic here)] [Label peaks]
XRF geochemical analytical spectrum
XRF detected major elements: / XRF detected trace elements:
XRF spectrum interpretation / comments:
ICP-MS geochemical analysis:
Digestive method and limitations:
Si / Al / Ca / Mg / K / Na / Fe / Mn / Ti / Ba / P / S
ppm
Li / Be / B / C / V / Cr / Co / Ni / Cu / Zn / Mo / Pb
ppm
Th / U / Sn / Sr / Zr / As / Se / Rb / Sb / Sc / Ga / Ge
ppm
Y / Nb / La / Ce / Pr / Nd / Sm / Eu / Gd / Tb / Dy / Ho
ppm
Er / Tm / Yb / Lu / Hf / Ta / W / Ir / Ag / Au / Pt
ppm
ICP-MS data interpretation / comments:
Optical Mineralogy:
□ Grain Mount Analysis / □ Thin Section Analysis / □ Refractometer Test
Cleavage: [Observed]
Color: [Observed]Researched: []
Pleochroism: [Observed]Researched: []
Relief: [Observed]Researched: []
RI: [Measured or estimated] Researched: [Database Details]
□ ISOTROPIC = Isometric Crystal System / □ ANISOTROPIC
Birefringence: δ [Measure Value(s)] Researched: δ [Database Values]
Extinction: [Observed, give short description]
□ UNIAXIAL / □ BIAXIAL
□ Positive (+) □ Negative (-) / □ Positive (+) □ Negative (-)
2V: [Measured]̊
Researched: [Researched]̊
[(Paste Thinsection or grain mount PPL picture of sample here)]
PPL / [(Paste Thinsection XPL or grain mount picture of sample here)]
XPL
Observation: [Give specific observation and interpretation of mineral in thin section, such as cleavage, inclusions, etc.]
Crystal System: [Descriptive observation if possible]
Optical Tests interpretation / comments:
XRD Analysis:
[(Paste MEASURED XRD pattern graphic here)] [Label peaks]
X-ray Pattern
Major Peaks and d-spacing: [Sorted according to your measurement] / 2 θ
d Å
I/I1 / 100
[leave unless different tube is used] λ 1.5405 Rad: CuKα1
XRD pattern interpretation / comments:
Mineral name:[Mineral Name] / Mineral group:[Mineral Group]
Chemical Formula: [Chemical Formula]
[(Paste Picture of Client Sample here)] / Locality:
[Describe collection locality as indicated by the client or “unknown”]
Sample submitted:
[List client name and contact information]
[Conclusion / Interpretation of results goes here. Write a few short paragraphs in professional, but simple laymens terms explaining the outcome of your investigation.
OBJECTIVE: Interpretation of results and support for all of your conclusions, using ascertained experimental or observational evidence. The significance of findings should be clearly described.
DO explain a phenomenon by describing mechanisms and/or supporting evidence that may account for the observation.
DO try to offer alternative explanations if reasonable alternatives exist.
DO refer to any previous pictures, figures, and/or tables.
AVOID rehashing results. Interpret the results.
AVOID simple statements that the data agreed with expectations without any further explanation.
AVOID the “inconclusive” statement. Rather imply that a decision can not be made with confidence based on detailed reasoning. ]
References:
[List all literature cited in your paper, in alphabetical order, by first author.
Be cautious about using web sites as references. Wikipedia is NOT accepted!!! Use “Google Scholar” (scholar.google.com) to search for appropriate articles.]