Toward developing improved Mandarino Compatibility Indices (Kp/Kc)

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new model for specific refractivity (K) in rock powders, emphasizing the importance of statistical significance and automation to enhance mineral analysis and inter-laboratory consistency.

Contribution

It presents a novel K model for whole-rock powders and advocates for automation and collaboration to improve sample discrimination and calibration.

Findings

Successful development of a specific-refractivity model

Highlighting the importance of statistical significance in K measurements

Call for automation and collaboration in mineral analysis

Abstract

The specific-refractivity (K) model for a whole-rock powder is presented. Successful, innovative completion of this reconnaissance suggests that ignoring creation of statistically-significant specific refractivities (Kp), when describing mineral or rock samples, hampers the development of Science. Automation of all related technologies is suggested; as is the need for yet greater, more-widespread cooperation to work on standard samples, in order both to facilitate inter-laboratory instrument calibrations and to improve discrimination among samples.