rare earth pentaphosphates part 2

[crystalgrower]

I have attached the actual manual for the mount reported to have problems.

I would like readers in general to look and comment.

This manual shows the absolute need to make a photographic record of every mounted item sold.  I used reflecting polarised light at 45 degrees to enhance any grain boundaries.

This is a very early mount of the Astimex pentaphosphates,  assembled in May 2009.  The blank used was probably a hollowed out cup, a holdover from the very small China crystals.  Later mounts used solid steel blanks with 2mm holes drilled.  All LREE crystals in wells ended up with the thin profile of the cross section, rather than the large faces shown here.

The issue with LREE in this specific mount is clearly caused by Astimex polishing, even at low weight and speed. 

Please look at the La well.  The two large crystals started out about 0.5mm thick   and the little sliver at the right is at right angles.  That little sliver should not show the same instability that the two large crystals are showing.  The large crystal on the left fell onto the base used for mounting  at an angle.  Polishing developed fractures by the polishing process, along cleavage lines.  The other large crystal is also probably fractured.  I was not aware that crystals were being dropped from the vials until a year later--the instruction from John Rucklidge was that large crystals were to be individually placed onto sticky tape backing the cup face.   John had the worst family obligations when this was made and the trust he placed in three colleagues was not uniformly earned.

I would really like the owner of this mount to print out the manual and mark specific areas that show the worst instability, to verify this possibility.  If you have a gung-ho student who wants some "research" experience, they can put in the time. 


I will post another pdf next week, which I will have to compile.  I have all images from the "reference" mount I used to validate these compounds.  You will see the difference in crystal alignment.  Crystals were mounted into holes drilled in an epoxy blank. 

Again please be aware that I was never ever allowed to make any mounts before the end of 2010, and then only for AGU poster deadline.  I will spare you the constant very open hostility from the mount maker at my "lack of expertise".  This issue is one reason that I made every effort to take over the entire manufacture of REE phosphates in general before releasing the much better second generation crystals.