Abstract

This project is part of a series of studies to further understand the relationship between morphology and composition of talc and amphibole minerals in the Gouverneur Mining District in New York. The interest in the morphology and composition of these minerals is a result of the concern that asbestiform tremolite and anthophyllite amphiboles may occur in these deposits. Samples include rock tailings from the Arnold Pit and Talcville talc mines and commercial talc products produced from these mines. Each sample was measured so that the length is approximately the longest distance across a particular grain with the width segmented perpendicularly along that length. At each of these segments, an aspect ratio between the corresponding width and the overall length was used to find an average aspect ratio for each grain. The average aspect ratios are used to determine potential correlations for the tremolite and anthophyllite/talc grains based on their source, their form, and as a whole. Additionally, the average aspect ratios are graphed against the corresponding SiO2/MgO ratios to determine possible correlations between composition and morphology. The only correlation that was supported was between the length and average aspect ratio of the raw tremolite grains, though it is possible that some of the results were impacted by an insufficient number of grains being examined.

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