Quantitative analysis of calcite and Mg‐calcite by X‐ray diffraction: effect of grinding on peak height and peak area

ABSTRACT Mineralogical analysis of calcite and Mg‐calcite by X‐ray diffraction requires that the samples be ground to a powder. Such grinding determines the particle size of the powder and the structural damage of the minerals. Both of these in turn affect the peak intensities recorded by the X‐ray machine. Most carbonate sediments are inhomogeneous; they contain both calcite and Mg‐calcite which are affected differently by grinding. Such differences cause quantitative analytical results to be inconsistent with the true mineralogical abundance. The two acceptable methods of analysis—(1) measurement of peak height from the base and (2) measurement of the area under the peak—were compared to determine if sample preparation affects the quantitative results. In samples with variable and relatively small amounts of calcite and Mg‐calcite the measurement of peak height yields more reproducible results than does the measurement of peak areas. Different proportions of particle size of the mineralogical components in a sample powder, affect proportionally more the peak areas than the peak heights. Extensive grinding causes structural damage of the component minerals which affects much more the peak areas than the peak heights. Thus for quantitative analyses of calcite and Mg‐calcite in inhomogeneous carbonate samples which require differing grinding times and have greatly variable amounts of calcite and Mg‐calcite, the peak height measurement seems to be a better method than peak area measurement.