I have tried many times to separate the heavies mineral matter from organic material after acid maceration through 4000 rpms centrifugation but so far I couldn't succeed. I follow the instructions of making the heavy salt solution but when I centrifugate the salt settle to the bottom of tube and make a dense white pellet. Can somebody guide me where I go wrong. Are there ready made heavy salt solution in the market for the same purpose?
There are different heavy liquids available on the market; some are a rather cheap but toxic like bromoform (2.89 g/cm³) and tetrabromoethane (2.97 g/cm³). A non-toxic and highly soluble liquid has become very popular with technicians in sedimentological labs. It is sodium polytungstate, abbreviated to SPT (3.1 g/cm3). The highest specific gravity can be achieved when using Clerici solutions which is a very hazardous chemical compound of equal parts of thallium formate and thallium malonate (4.25 g/cm3). You can use them directly to the OM, by measn of a centrifuge or you can destroy the OM and split the remaining mineral matter into heavies and light minerals. I have used these heavy liquids for my heavy mineral studies since more than 40 years. For more details I try and draw your attention to my publications available for download from the RG server where I described the entire procedure of heavy mineral analysis and their application in detail for various case histories.
I wish you much success
H.G.Dill
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