standardmineraler

Standardmineraler is a term used to describe a curated set of minerals whose composition, crystal structure, and physical properties are precisely characterized and broadly accepted as reference materials. They are employed as calibration and quality-control benchmarks in mineralogical and geochemical analyses, helping to ensure consistency across laboratories and studies.

Key features of standard minerals include homogeneous composition at the measurement scale, chemical and structural stability under standard storage conditions, and comprehensive metadata that documents impurity levels, unit-cell parameters, density, and optical or spectroscopic properties. They may be natural minerals with well-known characteristics or synthetic materials designed to meet specific analytical needs. The value of a standard mineral is tied to traceability to certified measurements and to documentation that enables reproducible comparisons.

Applications span a range of analytical techniques. In X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and electron microprobe analysis, standard minerals calibrate instrument responses and quantify elemental concentrations. They also serve in X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and infrared spectroscopy, and microscopic imaging to validate methods and data interpretation. In education and inter-laboratory comparisons, standard minerals provide reference points for identifying minerals and assessing analysis accuracy.

Typical examples of minerals used as standards include quartz, calcite, albite, orthoclase, magnetite, and pyrite, as well as other well-characterized minerals and synthetic reference materials. Availability often comes from national laboratories, geological surveys, museum collections, or supplier catalogs, and some are designated as certified reference materials. The concept of standardmineraler overlaps with broader practices of reference minerals and certified standards in geoscience.