Combined investigations of fluid inclusions in opaque ore minerals by NIR/SWIR microscopy and microthermometry and synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence

An alternative IR microscopy system in the NIR (near infrared, up to 10 μm) and SWIR (short wavelength infrared, up to 1.4 μm) ranges has been developed for the study of opaque ore minerals. The system uses either IR LED or IR light bulb sources depending on the degree of opacity of the investigated minerals. This paper presents the methodology and the promising results obtained in studies of opaque ore minerals such as Ag minerals (pyrargyrite) from epithermal deposits and Nb-tantalates (columbite) from pegmatites. It also presents results on the internal features of hematites from Fe ore banded formations and tungstates from granite–greenstone belt deposits. The data obtained on fluid inclusions from pyrargyrite and hematite crystals have been integrated by complementary information from X-ray fluorescence analysis using synchrotron radiation (μ-SXRF) under conditions specifically designed for the study of opaque ore minerals.