THERMAL-ANALYSIS - A RESURGENCE IN THE EARTH-SCIENCES - WITH APPLIED, INDUSTRIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

Applications of thermal analysis methods are expanding rapidly in the earth sciences and range from specific minerals, mineral mixtures, members of isomorphous substitution series, ceramics, cements and natural materials characterization, industrial evaluation, performance, thermal stability and quality control, proximate analysis, inorganic contents and calorific values of solid fossil fuels to the assessment of environmental aspects of mineral residues, fly ash and the release of SO2 and its extraction from evolved (and flue) gases by various sorbents together with their regenerative capacities. Of particular importance is the application of the new generation of methods such as derivative thermogravimetry, evolved gas analysis and thermomagnetometry, together with utilization of the techniques of simultaneous thermal analysis and variable atmosphere thermal analysis.