QATM offers advanced solutions for sample preparation of geological and mineralogical materials, ensuring accurate, reliable and high-quality results. 

Its technologies enable the preservation of material integrity, even for fragile or porous samples, and offer a fast, efficient and repeatable analysis process. Its solutions cover a wide range of samples: rocks, minerals, metals, sediments, powders and even fossils, with applications in qualitative and quantitative analysis. QATM's systems offer high accuracy, damage protection, flexibility and stability of results, as well as efficient use of time and resources.

The company also provides equipment and consumables for the detailed preparation of samples for microscopic analysis, including grinding, polishing and cutting machines, as well as mounting materials. QATM's methods and solutions enable the stabilization, protection and optimization of sample surfaces, with an emphasis on accurate analysis, purity and reproducibility.

Cutting of Samples

QATM offers a wide range of cutting machines for various materials, shapes and sample sizes. There is a choice of manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic machines, all equipped with powerful motors, durable housings and advanced safety features. QATM machines allow fast and clean cutting without deformation or damage to the specimens.

Suitable for separating samples such as:

• Stones: granite, basalt, sandstone, sandstone, limestone, marble, slate, quartzite, etc.
• Minerals: iron ore, copper, zinc, gold, gold, silver, platinum, etc.
• Mineral samples: quartz, calcite, pyrite, tourmaline, beryllium, topaz, pyrite, pyrite, tourmaline, etc.
• Fossils: plants, animals, bones, shells, etc.

The machines can be equipped with different cutting discs depending on the hardness, density and sensitivity of the samples: diamond, CBN, corundite or silicon carbide. All discs offer high speed, precision and long life. In addition, there is a cooling and lubrication system to protect against thermal damage and dust generation.

Qcut 200 A precision machines:

• They have various modes of operation.
• They include a "zone cutting" function.
• They have a built-in database for cutting processes.

QPREP diamond discs:

• Ideal for hard materials, even ceramics, without causing clouding.
• The diamond ensures cutting of the hardest materials and the dressing process maintains high cutting performance over time.

Suggested applications:

• Cutting hard and brittle materials with diamond discs.
• Cutting of hard and hard materials, hard and hard materials, such as stones.
• Cutting samples with brittle plasma coating.

Mounting of samples

QATM provides various solutions for the mounting of rock and mineral samples, depending on the needs and specifics of the sample. Proper mounting allows for stabilization, protection and preparation of samples for subsequent steps.

Suitable samples for mounting:

• Stones: high hardness, porous or cracked, requiring uniform support.
• Minerals: with high density, inhomogeneity or sensitivity, requiring filling without shrinkage.
• Mineral specimens: with transparency, colour or detailed structure, requiring clear vision and minimal alteration.

Mounting methods:

1. Cold Mounting:
   • Suitable for heat-sensitive or pressure-sensitive samples.
   • Use of resins such as acrylic, epoxy or polyester resins.
   • Chemical curing with reaction time, hardness control.
2. Hot Mounting:
   • Performed at high pressure and temperature with special presses.
   • Materials: thermosetting for maximum hardness or thermoplastic for transparent fixing.
   • Provides excellent edge retention and a uniform surface, ideal for chemical attack.
3. UV mounting:
   • Modified acrylic resins without fillers are used.
   • They cure quickly by UV radiation without high pressure or heat.
   • 1-component systems, transparent, safe for laboratory use.

Additional features:

• Pores and cracks are filled with encapsulation material under vacuum using a special vacuum impregnation device to fully penetrate the low-fluidity material.
• For polished specimens, it is recommended that a layer of approximately 5 mm is applied first and then the remaining height is filled in after marking.
• To avoid bubbles, samples may be kept for 2 hours under 2 bar overpressure after fixation.
• Powdered samples may also be fixed in a hot press under pressure and temperature.

Important:

• Specimens intended for grinding and polishing can be prepared directly after encapsulation, whereas those for thin sections need further processing.

Grinding and polishing of samples

QATM offers an extensive range of grinding and polishing machines, with modern technology, high performance and easy operation. There are options of manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic systems, compatible with a wide range of wheels, abrasives and polishing materials. These machines ensure a uniform, smooth and clean sample surface.

Suitable samples for grinding and polishing:

• Stones: hard, uneven or textured, requiring a smooth, flat and reflective surface.
• Minerals: high density or metallic content, requiring a fine, uniform and high contrast surface.
• Mineral specimens: transparent, coloured or textured, requiring a clean, detailed and fine surface.

Preparation process:

• After encapsulation, samples may be ground and polished according to normal metallography methods.
• Manual or semi-automatic machines (e.g. Qpol 300 A1/A2) are used for smaller volumes, while for larger volumes fully automatic systems (Qpol 250 BOT, Qpol 300 BOT) with central pressure are applied.

Wheels and consumables:

• Galaxy diamond grinding wheels: for flat and fine grinding of medium and high hardness materials, with coated diamonds on a metal carrier.
• QPREP consumables: offer choices of alumina, silicon carbide or diamond wheels, as well as different fabrics and diamond pastes for high precision and quality.
• The systems feature intelligent parameter control (speed, pressure, time, direction of rotation) for optimal results.

Advantages:

• High material removal
• High removal rate of material
• Uniform and flat surface
• Precision and repeatability

With the use of QATM machines and consumables, sample preparation for microscopic or analytical analysis becomes reliable, accurate and of high quality.

Preparation of thin sections

Samples intended for thin sections shall be ground after cutting and encapsulation, using 65-75 μm grinding grit depending on the material. Grinding shall be carried out at low pressure, low speed and sufficient cooling, and each stage shall be checked under a stereoscope to avoid deep scratches.

After drying, the specimen is glued to a glass plate with the smooth side using special adhesives (Qpox 90, 92, 94 or Qprep 50UV/55UV) and pressed with a thin section press to avoid bubbles. The board should have a defined thickness and a rough side for better adhesion.

Basic preparation steps:

1. Pre-thinning:
   • The plate with the sample is held in a vacuum clamping device and cut to a thickness of 300-1000 µm while maintaining flat and parallel surfaces.
2. Final grinding:
   • Performed with precision machines (Qcut 150 A/200 A or Qpol 300 A1) and Qprep or VEGA diamond wheels for high precision, flat surface and low embossing distortion.
   • Openings or cracks are closed with a suitable medium (e.g. Qpox 94).
   • Final thickness is achieved between 20-30 µm, depending on the material and colour observation (e.g. quartz should be white).
3. Polishing (if required for reflected light analysis):
   • Special GALAXY series polishing cloths with different grain sizes are used:
     • GALAXY PHI (9-1 μm): medium hardness, for pre-, intermediate and final polishing
     • GALAXY ALPHA (15-3 μm): very hard, perforated fabric for pre-polishing
     • GALAXY DELTA (9-3 μm): medium hardness, silk fabric for pre and intermediate polishing
     • GALAXY IOTA (3-0.005 μm): soft synthetic fabric for final or fine polishing with fine polishing solution

With this process, thin sections obtain a flat, fine and clean surface, suitable for microscopic and analytical study.