Particle size and mineralogical composition of inorganic colloids in waters draining the adit of an abandoned mine, Goesdorf, Luxembourg.

The use is described of single particle counting based on light scattering combined with transmission electronic microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction to study the particle size distributions and the mineralogy of the inorganic colloids. The results showed that the dependence of the colloid number concentration on colloid diameters can be described by a power-law distribution in all cases. The same main mineral types were found in the different samples including phyllosilicates (illite and mica), chlorite, feldspars (albite and orthoclase), calcite and quartz, with a variable number of Fe oxide particles. The mineralogy closely resembles that of the parent rock. Spatial variations in the structure and composition of the rock in contact with the waters, such as fissured rock and shear joints, are reflected in the colloid composition. The properties of the colloids and the processes affecting them can be considered as representative of the colloids present in groundwaters.
The use is described of single particle counting based on light scattering combined with transmission electronic microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction to study the particle size distributions and the mineralogy of the inorganic colloids. The results showed that the dependence of the colloid number concentration on colloid diameters can be described by a power-law distribution in all cases. The same main mineral types were found in the different samples including phyllosilicates (illite and mica), chlorite, feldspars (albite and orthoclase), calcite and quartz, with a variable number of Fe oxide particles. The mineralogy closely resembles that of the parent rock. Spatial variations in the structure and composition of the rock in contact with the waters, such as fissured rock and shear joints, are reflected in the colloid composition. The properties of the colloids and the processes affecting them can be considered as representative of the colloids present in groundwaters.