Chemical Phase Analysis

In many scientific investigations and technical operations it is necessary to know not only the total amount of an element of interest but also the amount of its different valencies , combinations or mineralogical forms. The diff-erent phases or forms of an element can usually be obser-ved of course by microscopical examination, X-ray diff-raction or other physical means . The frequent difficulty of obtaining by these techniques a rapid quantitative measure of the phases present. has led to the dcvelopiucut of many chemical procedures, based principally on a sele-ctive solvent , a chelate, resin or other isolating agent. The chemical approach , though it may suffer from certain deficiencies in accuracy and precision , has the merit
of quickly providing a reasonable satisfactory result. It does not require expensive and complicated instruments or workers with long experience in the interpretation of data . The popularity of chemical phase analysis in indu-strial practice, therefore , is not difficult to understand