Petrography applied to Geomaterials

Petrographic analysis of rocks used as raw materials in lime and cement industry helps to understand the optimal process conditions and to forecast the quality of the final products. In-depth petrography identifies possible mineral impurities and/or classifies several microstructures which are related to different process behavior.
The worldwide experience in petrographic and mineralogic analysis aquired by its staff, allows PetroLogic Synergy to offer a detailed characterization of a broad variety of geomaterials during their entire productive cycle.
Some examples are:

• Raw materials for lime and cement industry (limestone, marl, clay), building materials (sand, clay, chalk, slate, terracotta), hydraulic concrete, mortars and plaster (aggregate and clinker).
• Dimension and building stones for architectural and artistic applications (marble, granite, travertine, etc.).
• Industrial minerals and industrial products (zeolite, bentonite, kaolinite, feldspar, quick limes, fibers, ceramic, etc.)

The research activities and the availability of advanced analytical instruments enables PetroLogic Synergy to offer material analysis from the mesoscopic to the nano-scale. These analysis can be customized to the specific needs of our customers.
Petrographic examination is carried on according to the European (EN) and North American standards (ASTM, CSA). The petrographic analysis is the ideal tool to determine the composition and the quality of geomaterials, such as building stones, hydraulic concrete, and limes.
Petrographic analysis with modern optical and electron-optic techniques is a powerful tool during the exploration stage and the early stage of production, during which generates important data about the micro-structural, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of raw materials.

The petrographic examination of hardened hydraulic concrete details the condition of concrete sampled from a construction and determines the causes of its inferior quality (ASTM C856).
The petrographic examination identifies the type of deterioration, and in conjunction with other tests, determines whether the hardened concrete is as specified.

The petrographic examination determines the physical and chemical characteristics of aggregates considered for use in hydraulic-cement concrete (ASTM C295, CSA A23.2).

Mineral analysis under the petrographic microscope and under the scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectroscope (SEM-EDS) is applied to Metal Leaching (ML) and Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) modelling and investigation, and to the classification of potentially acid generating rock (PAG) and non potentially acid generating rock (NON-PAG)