Device and method for analyzing a rock mineral sample

摘要

#CMT# #/CMT# The installation has an analysis unit constituting a database from a known age of a reference rock. A determining unit e.g. computer, determines mass of a sample of mineral of a rock (R) using the database from firing characteristics of a laser (21) so as to ablate the sample and nature of the mineral of the rock. A calculation unit calculates an age of the rock from the mass of the sample, number of Argon atoms and a mass proportion of potassium in the sample. #CMT# : #/CMT# An independent claim is also included for a method for determining an age of a sample of mineral of a rock. #CMT#USE : #/CMT# Installation for determining an age of a sample of mineral of a rock i.e. magmatic rock, located in an inaccessible place e.g. seabed or planet Mars of solar system. #CMT#ADVANTAGE : #/CMT# The determining installation analyzes the sample of the mineral in the rock without requiring pretreatment of the rock in a laboratory and without requiring presence of an operator on a collection site of the rock. The determining installation has reduced size. The design of the determining installation allows precise evaluation of the mass of the rock sample ablated by the laser. #CMT#DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : #/CMT# The drawing shows a schematic view of a device for determining an age of a sample of mineral of a rock. R : Rock 13 : Sample holder 15 : Sealed enclosure 21 : Laser 60 : Control unit.