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A two-day seminar/workshop on
mineral identification using Chemical Qualitative Spot Tests (CQST)
was held on October 2 and 3, 2007 at the Mines and Geosciences
Bureau (MGB-V) regional office in Daraga, Albay.
The seminar aims to train
geologists, mining engineers and other technical personnel of
MGB regional offices nationwide on the use of CQST.
The Seminar covers: lecture on basic chemistry; sample
preparation; preparation of reagents (chemicals); and sample
digestion on Day 1 and CQST for aluminum; antimony; calcium;
cobalt; copper; chromium; gold; iron; manganese; magnesium;
barium; zinc; lead; and phospate on Day 2.
According to MGB-V Regional
Director Reynulfo A. Juan utilizing CQST will assist MGB
technical personnel in determining right in the field the
specific element or mineral content of a certain sample.
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“CQST answers the question as
to what is the content of a certain rock sample but not the
question of how much is the content” Juan explained. He said the
latter question is determined in the Laboratory room where the
use of the normal chemical analysis is resorted to and cannot be
substituted by CQST.
“CQST is advantageous as
it is designed specifically for a particular element, uses small
amount of reagents, less expensive than the typical chemical
analysis, and less time consuming – the results of analysis is
done in a matter of minutes.” Juan further explained.
Director Juan pointed out
correctly identified mineral through CQST would also be helpful
to a chemist since it would make sample decomposition easier and
faster. It would save a lot of valuable time, chemicals and
would not damage expensive laboratory wares. “For a Geologist or
prospector, correctly identified mineral would make his or her
work easier and would curtail unnecessary expenses in the field
during exploration or investigation process” He added.
Supervising Science Research
Specialists (SSRS) Edita M. Macalalad, Head of the Chemical
Research Project, Petrolab Section of the Lands Geological
Survey Division of MGB Central Office in Manila together with
her peers, fellow SSRS Teresita P. Balmes and Sciences Research
Specialists II Marieta Detera acted as the lecturers/resource
persons in the 2-day seminar. |
