Compositional Analysis of Rocks using Micro-Raman Spectrometry

Introduction

The composition and properties of naturally occurring rocks are mainly characterized by the inorganic substances incorporated during their formation. Rocks are difficult to identify by appearance alone, and an objective analysis using analytical instruments is necessary to determine their composition.

Microscopic components are localized in rocks and may be present not only on the rock surface but also within the bulk. Raman spectroscopy with confocal optics is useful for nondestructive analysis of such buried components. This report describes the results of imaging measurements of rocks using a JASCO Micro-Raman Spectrometer to visualize the distribution of components. We also report the results of a surface analysis where irregularities are observed at the microscopic level.