Background
General X-ray diffraction phase/composition identification will distinguish the major, minor, and trace compounds present in a sample. The data usually includes mineral (common) name of the substance, chemical formula, crystalline system, and reference pattern number from the ICDD International database. A summary table of analysis results and diffraction plot with reference pattern markers for visual comparison is shown below:

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Anhydrite, CaSO4 -orthorhombic ICDD # 72-0916 Gypsum, syn CaSO4.2H2O -monoclinic ICDD# 33-031 | Calcite, syn CaCO3 -rhombohedral ICDD # 05-0586 Brucite, Mg(OH)2 - hexagonal ICDD# 74-2220 | Portlandite, syn, Ca(OH)2 -hexagonal ICDD# 44-1181 Quartz, SiO2 - hexagonal ICDD# 64-0312 |
General X-ray diffraction phase identification and bulk elemental X-ray fluorescence are complimentary analyses, which provide elemental composition and chemical phase and crystal structures actually present in a sample.