The quantification of goethite, magnetite, martite and specularite in iron ores was successfully achieved by a combination of wet chemical analysis and x-ray diffraction. It was found that the intensity of the goethite (111) peak is constant for a certain sample provided that the same sample holder is used. Calibration curves with a linear behavior have been derived using the areas of the above mentioned peak and the amounts of goethite obtained by Mössbauer spectroscopy and optical microscopy. In addition, the integral width of the hematite (012) line broadens linearly as the amount of martite increases, thus allowing an estimation of the amounts of martite and specularite.
iron ores; magnetite; goethite; martite; specularite
