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Marcus J. Origlieri, Mineral Zone Co. USA 1505 West Saint Mary's Rd. #106 Tucson, Arizona 85745 USA Collectors value the identity of a mineral. Consequently, establishing the correct identification of a mineral greatly impacts its market value. When specimens of mimetite from Guangdong originally came unto the mineral market, some mineral dealers expressed concern whether these crystals were actually mimetite. The newly emerging technique of Raman spectroscopy allows the rapid and non-destruction identification of this mineral as immediate. Raman spectroscopy uses a laser to excite a mineral, producing a signal haracteristic of the mineral. The technology is becoming more widely available as the price of machines drops, and the equipment becomes portable. In support of popular use of Raman spectroscopy, several databases of mineral spectra are currently under construction. In addition to the use of Raman spectroscopy, the traditional methods of mineral identification including X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis afford the tools to characterize new minerals as they are discovered in the mines of China. |