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Textural and Mineralogical Analysis of Volcanic Rocks by µ-XRF Mapping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2016

Luigi Germinario Open the ORCID record for Luigi Germinario [Opens in a new window] ,
Roberto Cossio ,
Lara Maritan ,
Alessandro Borghi  and
Claudio Mazzoli
Luigi Germinario*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, 35131 Padova, Italy
Roberto Cossio
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
Lara Maritan
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, 35131 Padova, Italy
Alessandro Borghi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Valperga Caluso 35, 10125 Torino, Italy
Claudio Mazzoli
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, 35131 Padova, Italy
*
*Corresponding author. luigi.germinario@gmail.com
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Abstract

In this study, µ-XRF was applied as a novel surface technique for quick acquisition of elemental X-ray maps of rocks, image analysis of which provides quantitative information on texture and rock-forming minerals. Bench-top µ-XRF is cost-effective, fast, and non-destructive, can be applied to both large (up to a few tens of cm) and fragile samples, and yields major and trace element analysis with good sensitivity. Here, X-ray mapping was performed with a resolution of 103.5 µm and spot size of 30 µm over sample areas of about 5×4 cm of Euganean trachyte, a volcanic porphyritic rock from the Euganean Hills (NE Italy) traditionally used in cultural heritage. The relative abundance of phenocrysts and groundmass, as well as the size and shape of the various mineral phases, were obtained from image analysis of the elemental maps. The quantified petrographic features allowed identification of various extraction sites, revealing an objective method for archaeometric provenance studies exploiting µ-XRF imaging.

Keywords

micro-XRF imagingX-ray mapsquantitative texture analysismodal compositionEuganean trachyte
Type
Materials Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , June 2016 , pp. 690 - 697
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2016

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