Microanalysis of the surfaces of natural iron-based minerals by means of synchrotron radiation based experimental techniques

We investigated the surfaces of natural iron-based minerals that are magnet ite, hematite, goethite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, bornite and vivi anite. using synchrotron radiation based techniques. Most iron chalkogenide s are very suitable for photoemission microscopy studies due to their low r esistivity, which prevents from surface charging. The local compositions we re studied employing photoemission microscopy in combination with X-ray abs orption spectroscopy. Imaging of the sample in the near-edge region of the absorption edges was used to visualise the spatial distributions of the che mical phases on the surface. Distributions of trace elements are imaged wit h high chemical and lateral resolution. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.