Mineral analysis and analysts

SUMMARY. The history of the chemical analysis of minerals is shortly reviewed. Following rapid developments between I77O and 181o, few important changes took place for close on 13o years; new procedures led to simpler and more convenient separations but not, on the whole, to greater accuracy. The older analyses are, in general, neither worse nor better than modern ones, and analyses can only be assessed on internal evidence, if available, or on the reputation of the analyst. The development of microchemical and colorimetric techniques in the last 40 years has resulted in a great reduction in the amount of material required for a mineral analysis; 5 to 2o mg is usually sufficient, and in favourable cases a complete analysis may be possible on less than I rag. Some modern instrumental methods are considered, and it is concluded that they cannot wholly replace the classical wet-chemical methods in their modern developments. W. F. Hillebrand (1894) deplored the tendency of some petrologists o demand large numbers of very incomplete rock analyses, and his remarks are considered apposite today. THE beginnings of mineral analysis are lost in the mists of pre-history: we know from Biblical and Egyptian records that a form of fire-assay for gold and silver was in use some 3ooo years ago, and there can be little doubt that metallurgists evaluated an