Determination of trace elements in silicate rocks by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry on 1:5 glass discs: comparison of accuracy and precision with pressed powder pellet analysis

A fusion procedure commonly used for major element analysis of silicate rocks (1:5 sample to flux ratio, using 0.7 g of sample) was used to determine a small group of trace elements (Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb) by X-ray fluorescence. Compton scatter peak ratioing was successfully used for matrix corrections, despite the thickness of the glass discs being only 1.7 mm. Precision and detection limits were compared with pressed pellet values. For most elements, routine analytical precision is better with powder pellets and detection limits are worse in glass discs, by an average factor of 2, considering all elements analyzed. Accuracy was evaluated with international reference materials and for most of the determinations, good or excellent agreement with recommended values was obtained. The main advantages of using glass discs for the trace element determination are the possibility of analyzing small amounts of sample and the suppression of any mineralogical effects in the glass discs, which can also be used to determine major elements.     

Nanodeformation in enstatite single crystals: Simulation of micrometeoroid impacts by femtosecond pulsed laser experiments

Space weathering by micrometeoroid bombardment is a cosmic phenomenon on atmosphere-free celestial bodies, a process that is expected to particularly overprint planetesimals and cosmic dust in debris discs. We reproduced micrometeoroid impact craters by femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation on oriented enstatite single crystals (En₉₃Fs₇) to investigate the deformation behavior and its orientation dependence. All microcraters show typical bowl shaped morphologies, a glass surface layer with splash like ejecta material and subsurface layering. Although we could reproduce melting and vaporization as typical space weathering effects in the enstatite experiments, there is no formation of agglutinate particles or metallic nanoparticles (npFe⁰). The shock effects in the deformation layer consist of planar structures like microfractures and cleavages, amorphous lamellae, stacking faults and clinoenstatite lamellae. Their activation and/or orientation depends on the shock direction. In special orientations we observe the activation of glide systems along specific low indexed crystallographic planes. Due to the short timescale and the high strain rates, the most prominent effect is the failure of enstatite by microfracturing along non-rational crystallographic planes. Common deformation mechanisms reported in meteorites like the formation of clinoenstatite lamellae via shearing along [001] (100) occur less frequently. Shear is apparently the dominant mechanism in the formation of the above-mentioned effects and causes also their modification by frictional heating. The wide-spread formation of amorphous lamellae is, for example, interpreted to be the result of this shear heating along planar structures. We interpret this unconventional deformation behavior as a consequence of the small spatial and temporal scale of the experiments, resulting in a short-lived spherical shock wave with high deviatoric stresses in contrast to a long pressure pulse and quasi-hydrostatic compression in large scale impacts that produce typical shock features.     

Microscopic characteristics of orthoquartzite from sliding friction experiments. II. Gouge

Optical, TEM and SEM observations were made on gouge from orthoquartzite subjected to sliding friction experiments (Hayes, 1975; Dunn and Hayes, 1975) at a constant effective confining pressure of 500 bars and a strain rate of 2.5 · 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹, both dry and in the presence of pore fluids. All experiments exhibited stick-slip behavior, and brittle fracture of both surface asperities and the gouge is the dominant deformation mechanism. Crystalline, smooth filamentous projections on larger fragments and individual filaments found throughout the gouge indicate that ductile flow is occurring at the tips of surface asperities. Welded gouge and a small amount of glass are found in the dry samples. The presence of a fluid inhibits the formation of welded gouge and glass but promotes the production of angular fragments by causing them to move past one another instead of clumping. The gouge showed a 99.7% reduction in the average grain size for all experimental conditions indicating that mechanical abrasion is highly effective even with 2.5–5.9 mm axial displacements.The experimental results can aid our understanding of the formation of gouge and fractures during faulting and the stabilization of fault movements to prevent earthquakes. The experimentally-produced gouge is analogous to cataclastic rocks lacking primary cohesion which are produced during near-surface brittle fracturing. Observations of experimental and natural faults suggest that fracturing along the sliding surface increases with increased displacement. Fault stabilization is enhanced by the presence of a fluid which lowers the coefficient of sliding friction and which completely wets the gouge produced during the movement.     

X-ray fluorescence analysis of silicate rocks using fused glass discs and a side-window Rh source tube: accuracy, precision and reproducibility

In this paper, we provide a detailed account of our sample fusion, calibration and instrumentation methods for major-element whole-rock analysis by XRF, and we discuss several aspects of sample preparation and instrument performance that are important considerations for accurate analysis. The fusion procedure involves moderate capital costs and is easy to apply, yielding flat, polished, homogeneous glass discs as cast. The calibration method utilizes a least-squares procedure that rigorously fits data according to both compositional and counting statistical uncertainties. We use a side-window Rh tube for analyzing major elements (including Na) and employ real-time testing for constant count rate to reject spurious results.

The methods result in excellent analytical precision and reproducibility. The standards used for calibration lie within compositional and counting statistical uncertainties of best-fit straight lines. Analyses of replicate discs and repeated analyses of single discs show excellent long-term reproducibility over several months, approaching counting statistical uncertainties in several cases. Comparison with independent measurements made by other laboratories using instrumental neutron activation and X-ray fluorescence analyses shows excellent agreement with our results.

A side-window Rh tube gives increased detection limits for most major elements, but otherwise shows little difference in precision compared to a Cr tube. This means that major and trace elements can be analyzed without changing X-ray sources, which provides saving in terms of time and money, as well as being a convenience to the analyst.     

Largest Ediacaran discs from the Jodhpur Sandstone,Marwar Supergroup,India: Their palaeobiological signi?cance

Ediacaran discs from the Jodhpur Sandstone of the Marwar Supergroup, Rajasthan, exhibit a wide size ranging from a few millimetres to 75 cm in diameter. Exceptionally large size of the discs in these rocks represent the largest reported so far from any Ediacaran assemblage. Although, larger medu-soid discs have been reported from USA, they are from the middle Cambrian and even younger rocks. Presence of microbial mats and weed-like structures with well preserved hold fasts and horizontal rhizome-like structures in association with some of these large-sized discs support their animal affinity, which probably feed on this weed-like vegetations. This association also supports their benthic habitat. Unlike the general trend of sudden increase in size of organisms in Ediacaran period and further decrease in size during Cambrian, these discs continued increasing in size in Cambrian also.     

Dissolution of basaltic glass in seawater: Mechanism and rate

Basaltic glasses are considered as natural analogues for nuclear waste glasses. Thermodynamic computer codes used to evaluate long term behavior of both nuclear waste and basaltic glasses require the knowledge of the dissolution mechanism of the glass network (congruent dissolution or ion exchange in a residual hydrated structure).The paper presents the results of a series of experiments designed to study the structure and chemical composition of alteration layers formed on the surface of artificial tholeiitic glass altered in artificial seawater. Experiments were performed at 60°C, 1 bar and 350 bars in non-renewed conditions. A natural sample from Palagonia (Sicily) has been studied by electron microscopy and comparison between natural and experimental palagonitic layers is made.The behavior of dissolved silica during experiments, and both the structure and the chemical composition of the palagonitic layers, indicate that they form by precipitation of secondary minerals from solution after a total breakdown of the glassy network, i.e., congruent dissolution of the glass. Hence the dissolution equation necessary for thermodynamic modelling of basaltic glass dissolution in seawater at low temperature must be written as a simple stoichiometric process.For the first 2.10⁵ years of reaction the palagonitic layers do not constitute a diffusional barrier to the mass transfer between the glass and the bulk solution. The growth of these layers is linearly dependent on time.These experiments indicate that the transformation of glass to palagonitic material is not isovolumetric. Hence it is preferable to use Fe or Ti as conservative elements for chemical budget calculations.     

The response of flexible pipes buried in sand to static surface stress

A series of laboratory tests on thin-walled PVC-U (i.e. very flexible) pipes buried in sand is described. The tests were conducted in a glass-fronted test tank, the pipe being positioned up against the glass with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the glass. This allowed direct observation of the sand–pipe interactions. Photographs were taken through the glass allowing discrete measurement of pipe and soil displacements during pipe installation and subsequent surface loading. This paper discusses the influences on pipe response of installation method, cover depth and pipe stiffness as increasing static surface stress was applied. The results of the laboratory tests indicate very clearly the importance of well-controlled backfilling around flexible buried pipes to ensure their long-term performance. The stiffness of the pipe affects the way it behaves and hence its performance in resisting applied stresses. This is demonstrated by the observed changes in arching effects above pipes of different stiffness. The effect of increasing cover depth is demonstrated and confirms previous research findings regarding the influence of the ground surface on pipe performance. The results clearly demonstrate the valuable insight afforded by direct observation of the soil–pipe interaction during installation and the subsequent loading of flexible pipes.     

Reactive transport processes occurring during nuclear glass alteration in presence of magnetite

In this study, we have investigated and clarified the processes occurring during the alteration of SON68 glass – the reference nuclear glass for the waste arising from reprocessing of spent fuel from light water reactors – at 50 °C in Callovo-Oxfordian clay groundwater in presence of magnetite. Magnetite is known to be one of the iron corrosion products expected to be present in the vicinity of glass in geological disposal conditions. The effects of the amount of magnetite relative to the glass surface and the transport of aqueous species during glass alteration were studied. A first series of experiments was focused on the effect of various magnetite amounts by mixing and altering glass and magnetite powders. In a second series of experiments, magnetite was separated from the glass by a diffusive barrier in order to slow down the transport of aqueous species. Glass alteration kinetics were analyzed and solids were characterized by a multiscale approach using Raman Spectroscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-ray and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy coupled with Fe L_2,3-edge and C K-edge NEXAFS.It appears that glass alteration increases with the amount of magnetite and that the transport of aqueous species is a key parameter. Several processes have been identified such as (i) the silica sorption on the magnetite surface, (ii) the precipitation of Fe-silicates in the vicinity of the glass (iii) the precipitation of SiO₂ on the magnetite surface, (iv) the incorporation of Fe within the alteration layer. Process (iv) was not frequently observed, suggesting local variations in geochemical conditions. Moreover, this process is strongly influenced by the transport of aqueous species as indicated by the morphology and composition of the alteration layers. Indeed, when glass and magnetite are homogeneously mixed, the glass alteration layer consists of a gel enriched in Fe having the same Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio as in magnetite. When both materials are separated by a diffusive barrier, the glass alteration layer consists of a porous gel (not enriched in iron) in presence of a mixture of Fe-silicates with Fe having the same valence as in magnetite, rare-earth precipitates and phyllosilicates. These results suggest that Fe incorporation within the alteration layer changes depending on the distance and the time required for dissolved Fe originating from the magnetite to reach the glass.     

Dissolution kinetics of a lunar glass simulant at 25 degrees C: the effect of pH and organic acids

The dissolution kinetics of a simulated lunar glass were examined at pH 3, 5, and 7. Additionally, the pH 7 experiments were conducted in the presence of citric and oxalic acid at concentrations of 2 and 20 mM. The organic acids were buffered at pH 7 to examine the effect of each molecule in their dissociated form. At pH 3, 5, and 7, the dissolution of the synthetic lunar glass was observed to proceed via a two-stage process. The first stage involved the parabolic release of Ca, Mg, Al, and Fe, and the linear release of Si. Dissolution was incongruent, creating a leached layer rich in Si and Ti which was verified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). During the second stage the release of Ca, Mg, Al, and Fe was linear. A coupled diffusion/surface dissolution model was proposed for dissolution of the simulated lunar glass at pH 3, 5, and 7. During the first stage the initial release of mobile cations (i.e., Ca, Mg, Al, Fe) was limited by diffusion through the surface leached layer of the glass (parabolic release), while Si release was controlled by the hydrolysis of the Si-O-Al bonds at the glass surface (linear release). As dissolution continued, the mobile cations diffused from greater depths within the glass surface. A steady-state was then reached where the diffusion rate across the increased path lengths equalled the Si release rate from the surface. In the presence of the organic acids, the dissolution of the synthetic lunar glass proceeded by a one stage process. The release of Ca, Mg, Al, and Fe followed a parabolic relationship, while the release of Si was linear. The relative reactivity of the organic acids used in the experiments was citrate > oxalate. A thinner leached layer rich in Si/Ti, as compared to the pH experiments, was observed using TEM. Rate data suggest that the chemisorption of the organic anion to the surface silanol groups was responsible for enhanced dissolution in the presence of the organic acids. It is proposed that the increased rate of Si release is responsible for the one stage parabolic release of mobile cations and the relatively thin leached layer compared to experiments at pH 3 and 5.     

Phase-equilibrium geobarometers for silicic rocks based on rhyolite-MELTS. Part 1: Principles,procedures, and evaluation of the method

Constraining the pressure of crystallization of magmas is an important but elusive task. In this work, we present a method to derive crystallization pressures for rocks that preserve glass compositions (either glass inclusions or matrix glass) representative of equilibration between melt, quartz, and 1 or 2 feldspars. The method relies on the well-known shift of the quartz–feldspar saturation surface toward higher normative quartz melt compositions with decreasing pressure. The critical realization for development of the method is the fact that melt, quartz and feldspars need to be in equilibrium at the liquidus for the melt composition. The method thus consists of calculating the saturation surfaces for quartz and feldspars using rhyolite-MELTS over a range of pressures, and searching for the pressure at which the expected assemblage (quartz+1 feldspar or quartz+2 feldspars) is found at the liquidus. We evaluate errors resulting from uncertainties in glass composition using a series of Monte Carlo simulations for a quartz-hosted glass inclusion composition from the Bishop Tuff, which reveal errors on the order of 20–45 MPa for the quartz+2 feldspars constraint and on the order of 25–100 MPa for the quartz+1 feldspar constraint; we suggest actual errors are closer to the lower bounds of these ranges. We investigate the effect of fluid saturation in two ways: (1) By applying our procedure over a range of water contents for three glass compositions; we show that the effect of fluid saturation is more important at higher pressures (~300 MPa) than at lower pressures (~100 MPa), but reasonable pressure estimates can be derived irrespective of fluid saturation for geologically relevant H₂O concentrations >3 wt% and (2) by performing the same type of pressure determinations with a preliminary version of rhyolite-MELTS that includes a H₂O–CO₂ mixed fluid phase; we use a range of H₂O and CO₂ concentrations for two compositions characteristic of early-erupted and late-erupted Bishop Tuff glass inclusions and demonstrate that calculated pressures are largely independent of CO₂ concentration (for CO₂ <1,000 ppm), at least for relatively high H₂O contents, as expected in most natural magmas, such that CO₂ concentration can be effectively neglected for application of our method. Finally, we demonstrate that pressures calculated using the rhyolite-MELTS geobarometer compare well with those resulting from H₂O–CO₂ glass inclusion barometry and Al-in-hornblende barometry for an array of natural systems for which data have been compiled from the literature; the agreement is best for quartz-hosted glass inclusions, while matrix glass yields systematically lower rhyolite-MELTS pressures, suggestive of melt evolution during eruptive decompression.     

火山玻璃风化层的透射电镜研究

利用透射电镜(TEM)和X射线能谱(EDX)研究了长白山天池火山1000年和4000年前两次大喷发产生的火山玻璃风化层特征.TEM分析显示,4000年前大喷发浮岩中的火山玻璃风化层平均厚度3.7 mm,1000年前大喷发浮岩中的火山玻璃风化层平均厚度为1.0 mm.EDX分析显示,两次大喷发浮岩中的火山玻璃风化层化学组成与火山玻璃相比富Al、Fe,而si减少.火山玻璃风化层富Al发生在Al的浓度较高的中到弱酸溶液中(pH=5～6),火山玻璃表面形成含有少量的非晶质的Al、Si、Fe物质,这些非品质的次生物质是火山玻璃风化早期阶段形成的.天池火山喷发物中火山玻璃的微观特征的差异可能与火山喷发年代和喷发后的环境有关,研究天池火山不同期次喷发物中火山玻璃的微观特征具有一定的理论和实际应用价值.     

A fractured roman glass block altered for 1800 years in seawater: Analogy with nuclear waste glass in a deep geological repository

Fractured archaeological glass blocks altered 1800 years in seawater are investigated because of their morphological analogy with vitrified nuclear waste. They provide an opportunity for understanding glass alteration in variable confined media (cracks), by studying an actual ancient system in a known stable natural environment. Characterization of the crack network from two-dimensional trace maps (length, alteration thickness, orientation) allows us to determine the three-dimensional geometric parameters (crack density, fracture ratio) and the percentage of alteration, using stereological relations. This methodology could be applied to nuclear glass. From a representative archaeological glass block, we showed that the surface developed by the cracks is 86 ± 27 times greater than the geometric surface but the volumetric alteration is 12.2 ± 4.1%, which is only 12 times greater than the volumetric alteration of the block periphery (about 1 vol%). This unexpected low value is explained by the large variation of the alteration thicknesses in the different types of cracks in relation with their location in the block. The alteration thickness is usually smaller in the internal zone than in the border zone. The alteration layers resulted from three main mechanisms (interdiffusion, glass dissolution, and secondary phase precipitation) leading to two different alteration products (a sodium-depleted layer and mainly a Mg-smectite). Geometric parameters such as the glass surface area/solution volume ratio and transport parameters (renewal of the alteration solution) strongly affected the glass dissolution kinetics. The confined conditions and the diffusive transport of reactive species favor low alteration kinetics. The precipitation of secondary phases also results in sealing of the cracks. Consequently, although it is not known if subcritical crack growth occurred, internal cracks account for only a minor contribution to the overall alteration. These results improve our understanding of alteration in cracks for assessing the predominant physical and chemical parameters that must be considered in long-term nuclear glass modeling.     

10Be和26Al在地表形成和演化研究中的应用

地球表面丰富多样的地形、地貌是地球内外动力相互作用的结果。宇宙射线辐射地表岩石、沉积物等产生的¹⁰Be和²⁶Al放射性核素（半衰期分别为1．5Ma和0．71Ma）,它们的浓度主要取决于由地理位置和地形、地貌条件所决定的宇宙射线辐射的通量和时间,从而能够记录地表的形成和演化历史。因此,宇宙成因核素是研究地表形成历史和作用过程的有力工具。     

Glass veins in the unequilibrated eucrite Yamato 82202

The unequilibrated eucrite Yamato 82202 (Y82202) contains a network of relatively thick (up to 1 mm in width) glass veins. The host of the meteorite represents a monomict breccia composed of volcanic rock that crystallized > 4.3 Ga ago as a lava flow on the surface of 4 Vesta. The veins formed 3.90 ± 0.04 Ga ago, probably as a result of frictional melting associated with impact, under conditions of low effective oxygen fugacity and higher sulfur fugacity. The glass contains disordered structural elements characteristic of pyroxene and feldspar, reminiscent of the eucritic target lithology. The unequilibrated pyroxenes of the volcanic host and the pristine character of the glass indicate that this meteoritic material did not experience significant thermal metamorphism after initial crystallization of the lava. Hence, it was not affected by regional metamorphism caused by burial to a significant depth or by long-term contact metamorphism associated with a thick lava flow, large intrusion, or hot layer of impact ejecta. The meteorite resided at a shallow depth (though not at the surface) on 4 Vesta or on one of the vestoids until it was ejected and traveled to Earth, probably with other HED materials that have ³⁶Ar exposure ages of ∼13 Ma. These data suggest that the surface of the asteroid 4 Vesta has significant, though probably small, proportions of glass, as well as unequilibrated volcanic rock.     

Glass-water interphase reactivity with calcium rich solutions

The effect of calcium on synthetic glass alteration mechanisms has been studied. It is known that the higher the calcium content in the glass, the higher the forward rate. However, in a confined medium reaching apparent saturation state and a pH_90°C around 9, synthetic calcium-bearing glasses are those with the lowest alteration rates. This work brings new and fundamental evidence toward understanding the alteration mechanisms: the rate-decreasing effect of calcium exists even if the calcium comes from the solution. Calcium from solution reacts with silica network in the hydrated layer at the glass surface. The calcium effect on the alteration kinetics is explained by the condensation of a passivating reactive interphase (PRI) whose passivating properties are strongly enhanced when calcium participates in its construction. These experiments provide new evidence of the role of condensation mechanisms in glass alteration. This better understanding of the calcium effect on glass long-term behavior will be useful both for improving glass formulations and for understanding the influence of the water composition.     

二滩坝址岩心裂饼现象及其断裂破坏机制

岩心裂饼是钻探过程中特有的岩石力学现象。1958年哈斯特首先报道过岩心裂饼现象,且发现岩饼的厚度与其直径的比值随初始应力的增加而减少,其后,库克则利用钻孔岩心饼化的程度评价岩体中的初始应力状态。     

Stochastic Analysis of Core Discing for Estimation of In Situ Stress

Extraction of diamond-drilled core from high stress environments can result in the core breaking into discs. Through four decades of research, a variety of computational tools and experimental approaches have been used to analyze the details of the failure processes leading to core-discing-type breakage of diamond-drilled cores. One motivation for this research is to use these calculations for stress estimation based on, for example, the disc length (i.e., thickness) measured in a particular core. This application requires that the core discs lengths do not deviate much from an average or typical value. This paper presents a stochastic approach, based on analyzis of the entire distribution of disc lengths, that provides a basis for application of existing core discing models even when it is unclear how to define a typical disc length, for example when the disc length distribution is highly non-Gaussian. The viability of the stochastic approach is demonstrated by comparison with data collected from 900 m of core extracted from a South Australian granite formation.     

重庆忠县翠屏山西晋崖墓出土宝玉石和玻璃饰品的工艺初探

利用显微镜对重庆忠县翠屏山西晋时期崖墓出土的玛瑙珠、琥珀饰品和玻璃珠的表面痕迹进行了显微观察,对它们的加工工艺进行了分析和探讨。其中,玛瑙珠在粗磨过程中应使用了粒径较大、粒度不均匀的石英砂粒,导致玛瑙珠的外形不规整,表面多大而深的凹坑;琥珀饰品的钻孔外缘和表面存在较多应力裂纹,显示当时的玉匠对琥珀的加工尚不能克服琥珀性脆、怕热的缺点;玻璃珠至少可见铸造——切削成形、缠珠和直管切割3种制作工艺。这些饰品的特点反映了西晋时期平民社会所使用的饰品的面貌和工艺水平,为中国古代宝玉石和玻璃器的断代以及工艺研究提供了新的信息。     

Graphite oxidation in the Apollo 17 orange glass magma: Implications for the generation of a lunar volcanic gas phase

An Apollo 17 picritic orange glass composition has been used to experimentally investigate the conditions at which graphite would oxidize to form a CO-rich gas, and ultimately produce lunar fire-fountain eruptions. Isothermal decompression experiments run above the A17 orange glass liquidus temperature (>1350 °C) suggest that the initial CO-rich gas phase produced by graphite oxidation would be generated during magma ascent at a pressure of 40 MPa, 8.5 km beneath the lunar surface. Additional experiments with 2000 ppm S and 1000 ppm Cl showed that the presence of these dissolved gas species would not affect the depth of graphite oxidation, verifying that the first volcanic gas phase would be generated by the oxidation of graphite.A simple ideal chemical mixing model for calculating melt FeO activity in a Fe-metal/silicate melt system was tested with a series of 0.1 MPa controlled oxygen fugacity experiments. Agreement between the model and experiments allows the model to be used to calculate oxygen fugacity in picritic lunar glass compositions such as the A17 orange glass. Using this model in a reanalysis of chemical equilibria between the natural A17 orange glass melt and the metal spherules (Fe₈₅Ni₁₄Co₁) trapped within the glass beads indicates a log oxygen fugacity of −11.2, 0.7 log units, more oxidized than previous estimates. At the A17 orange glass liquidus temperature (1350 ± 5 °C), this f_O2 corresponds to a minimum pressure of 41 MPa on the graphite–C–O surface. The fact that the same critical graphite oxidation pressure was determined in decompression experiments and from the Fe–FeO activity model for the natural A17 orange glass–metal assemblage strongly supports this pressure (8.5 km depth) for volcanic gas formation in lunar basalts. Generation of a gas by oxidation of C in ascending magma is likely to have been important in getting dense lunar magmas to the surface as well as in generating fire-fountain eruptions. The vesicles common in many lunar basalts and the ubiquitous Fe-metal in these rocks are also likely generated by the oxidation of carbon. The presence of carbon in the lunar basalts and the recent discovery of ppm levels of water in lunar basalts indicate that at least parts of the lunar interior still contained volatiles at 3.9 bybp.     

Thermal conductivity of short sequences of rock

Numerical models of igneous rock samples provide estimates of the variation in conductivity of discs cut from lengths of core. Ten discs cut from a piece of core have a root mean squared deviation of up to 6 %, depending on quartz content and crystal size. Greater crystal size increases the apparent conductivity of a disc by up to 3.2 % when quartz content is 49 %, but less when quartz content is 30 % or less. Measured conductivity depends on the thickness of the measured disc. When quartz content is low, this difference is well within the normal limits of experimental error, but when quartz content is high, the apparent conductivity will be within the normal limits of experimental error only when the disc is at least 8 mm thick. The estimation of contact resistance between the sample and the bar by using sets of discs of different thickness is unreliable because of variation in mineral content between contiguous discs. Better representation of the conductivity profile is obtained by measuring single discs with an estimation of the contact resistance.