Light-Heavy Minerals

Objective : To identify the minerals in sand fraction.

Introduction :
One of the most common separation methods used is based on the different specific
gravities of different minerals. The more common minerals : quartz,feldspars,and
calcite have low specific gravity ( 2.7) are known as light minerals. By putting
sediment sample in a liquid of high specific gravity,the common mineral will
float,while the less abundant accessory will sink. Since these minerals have high
specific gravity ( < 2.9 ) referred to as heavy minerals or heavy. Heavy minerals
include many kind of opaque and transparent minerals. The opaque group consists
of oxides,sulfides, and other so called ore minerals. Typically,opaque minerals are
predominate. The transparent group consist of rock making silicates.

Apparatus and Materials

Soil sample,bromoform,vacuum pump,petrographic microscope.

Procedure
1) Use sand sample used from mechanical analysis
2) Dry sand samples and take weight
3) Separate the sand into light and heavy minerals using bromoform ( density
2.89 g/ cm

).

4) Carry out analysis as describe below

5) Take weight of heavy and light minerals.
6) Identify minerals using petrographic microscope.

Results