Commecial Abrasive Minerals Under the Microscope

Abrasives

Abrasives are materials selected for their relative hardness and tendency to have sharp edges, which are used for modifying surfaces by grinding, abrading, or polishing. In environmental samples they are typically associated with resins that bind them to a substrate and residual abraded materials. When they are "blast grit" residues the resins are missing.

Aluminum Oxide (Emery, Corundum)

Emery

Emery

Emery

Emery Blastgrit

Emery

Emery

Emery

Emery

Diamond

Diamond Abrasive

Diamond Abrasive

Garnet

Garnet Sandpaper

Garnet

Glass

Glass Abrasive

Glass Abrasive

Pumice

Pumice

Pumice

Quartz

Quartz

Quartz

Mild Abrasive Cleaner

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Silicon Carbide

SiC4

Silicon Carbide

Silicon Carbide

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Slag

Slag

Slag

Slag

Slag

Slag

Slag

Slag

Grand Forks 400X Fines

Slag Abrasive

Fines + 400X Zoom Inclusions