Recent advances in the field of X-ray diffraction (XRD) now make it possible to easily perform quantitative analysis of the common minerals associated with limestone, where previously X-ray diffraction has been considered too complex and costly for use by most limestone production facilities.
Leading this change is inXitu's introduction of the BTX benchtop XRD analyzer enabling true, quantitative mineral determination in a cost-effective, easy-to-use instrument, with the capability to analyze alpha-quartz and asbestos minerals as well as common minerals such as, calcite and dolomite.
Regulation of crystalline silica - occupational exposure to respirable silica - remains a high priority on the agendas of global health and safety administrations in their drive to limit the disabling, dust-related lung disease, silicosis.
Limestone production, identified by regulators as an occupation at elevated risk of exposure to silica inhalation, can at last move forward with inXitu's BTX X-ray diffraction instrument as the chosen method of analysis for precise quantitative determination of crystalline phases in respirable dust. An application study is available on request.