Express determination of polymorphic minerals in heavy mineral concentrates with the use of the IR-microscopy technique (the examples of kyanite, sillimanite, and andalusite)

Using the examples of kyanite, sillimanite, and andalusite, the Fourier transform infrared microscopy is shown to be highly informative for studying the polymorphism of minerals. A technique has been developed for diagnosing the kyanite group minerals under the IR microscope. The data obtained confirm that the use of IR microscopy makes it possible to improve the method of analyzing minerals in heavy mineral concentrates and facilitates increasing the forecasting and prospecting efficiency.