Grain Mount Preperation for Sanidine

Looking at minerals using a grain mount allows you to better identify the minerals that are present in your sample splits and can inform you how to proceed in your mineral separation.

Steps

1. On a blank glass slide place a small portion of the sample in an area of 10x10 mm, or less than the size of a coverslip.

2. Place the cover slip over the grains.

3. Use the wintergreen oil dropper and slowly press a small amount of oil beneath the cover slip and stop when all the grains are covered in oil.

4. Use a petrographic microscope to peruse the grains and identify your target minerals.

insert image of sanidine in a grain mount