Application of liberation analysis in ferromanganese encrustations from South Andaman Sea: An automated mineral identification technique using TIMA

Automated scanning electron microscopic studies got exclusive acceptance in identification of various mineral phases; its classification and characterization based on their composition abundance semi quantitative manner. Nowadays, these techniques are adopted understanding poorly crystalline amorphous materials to reveal the actual assemblages. Primary phases five ferromanganese crust nodule samples collected from West Sewell Ridge Rise South Andaman Sea studied using automated analyser understand assemblages micro textures. The internal morphology encrustations is densely parallel sub botryoidal textures indicating a precipitated origin ambient seawater. Since nodules formed by colloidal precipitation, unclassified observed primary phase analyses may represent presence phases. liberation analysis, Back Scattered Electron image (BSE), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), elemental mapping revealed occurrence manganese - iron oxy-hydroxides as alternate laminations/ thin layers along with detrital materials; that forms texture. Major identified analysis TIMA todorokite, vernadite, Fe cryptomelane, ferrogedrite, glauconite, oxides disseminated, quartz, biotite, orthoclase, illite, plagioclase, amphibole, zinwaldite, romanechite. Thus, can be effectively for encrustations, which rather difficult other techniques.