I am trying to find out XRD (Phases present) with Match3 software from XRD data of sand powder, but whenever quartz sands are nearly pure, these two phases are also shown to be present. Is it due to their XRD patterns being very close, or is it due to material contamination?
I guess that there is a contamination or incorrect match in the software.
In the Eh-pH plots combining Al(OH)4-and H(PO4)- at approx. pH 6 apatite is converted into Al phosphate berlinite. Berlinite occurs together with augelite, florencite, souzalite and wyllieite in the Håsjöberg and Hökensås kyanite deposits, Sweden. Berlinite can be attributed to the varied group of APS minerals which come into being at low pH in Al-enriched mineral occurrences. Beryllium fluoride is an artificial product.
HGD
Berlinite has a crystal structure which resembles the one of a-quartz (formally replacing one Si by 1/2 Al and 1/2 P). As the lattice parameters of both phases are very similar as well, berlinite always appears when you have quartz and allow Al and P in your search/match routine.
For BeF2 there is a similar structural relationship. Anyway, when you do search/match only activate those chemical elements likely to occur in your material (i.e. consulting XRF data). Be is a very rare element and should not be present in a quartz sand in detectable amounts.
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