Evaluating Handheld and Portable Raman Instrumentation for Analysing Minerals in the Field

for 11 GeoRaman International Conference, June 15-19, 2014, St. Louis, Missouri, USA EVALUATING HANDHELD AND PORTABLE RAMAN INSTRUMENTATION FOR ANALYSING MINERALS IN THE FIELD D. Bersani 1 , J. Jehlicka 2 and P. Vandenabeele 3 , 1 University of Parma, Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Parco Area delle Scienze, 7/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. Email: danilo.bersani@fis.unipr.it, 2 Charles University, Prague, Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic. Email: jehlicka@natur.cuni.cz, 3 Ghent University, Department of archaeology, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Email: peter.vandenabeele@UGent.be Raman spectroscopy has proven to be a very convenient technique in, amongst others, minerals research. The technique is well appreciated for its ability to provide molecular as well as crystalline information on various species. Especially the possibility to obtain quickly reliable information on the mineral composition of a specimen, is highly appreciated. Mobile Raman instrumentation is becomming available for many applications, including research in geology, exobiology, forensics, archaeometry, etc.[1]. In the current paper, we want to explore the possibilities of using handheld and portable Raman instrumentation to identify minerals in the field. Handheld and portable equipment, are both types of mobile instrumentation. This means that they are designed for mobile use: when arriving on site, no special adjustments or internal alignment need to be made. Moreover, and of special importance to geology applications, both types of instruments are equiped with batteries. The difference between handheld and portable instruments is made based on the degree of mobility for both instruments, including factors as weight and dimensions. Typically a handheld instrument can be hold in the hands while operated, whereas portable instruments have usually fibre optics probeheads. Transportation of the instrumentation is easier when dealing with handheld instruments over portable instrumentation (Fig. 1). During this study, a series of experiments were performed on different sites in Valchiavenna, an Alpine region in northern Italy. Sites, were selected by a local geologist, A. Caligari. These sites included, the site of Stoveno-Val Schiesone (Fig. 2) and a pegmatitic outcrop in Prata Camportaccio (Fig. 3). Fig. 2: On site experiments on the site of Stoveno – Val Schiesone (SO, Italy). Fig. 1: During in situ experiments, the Raman instrumentation has to be transported to the site, sometimes under rather harsh conditions (Stoveno – Val Schiesone (SO, Italy)). 5041.pdf 11th International GeoRaman Conference (2014)