The effect of sintering on the mineralogy of a synthetic heavy mineral concentrate base prepared by mixing together specpure oxides

Synthetic heavy mineral concentrate standards for calibrating a d.c. arc emission spectrometer were prepared from specpure oxides and compounds. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope studies of the heat-treated synthetic matrix showed that minerals which occurred in natural heavy mineral concentrates were formed. An optimum sintering time of 4 hr was established by monitoring X-ray diffraction peaks of minerals undergoing alteration or being formed in the synthetic base.