This table of flux fusion reactions with sodium ammonium phosphate is based largely on the book "Determinative Mineralogy and Blowpipe Analysis" by Brush & Penfield, 1906. The reactions are observed by fusing a crushed (and roasted in the case of sulfides) sample of the mineral in a Na2(NH4)(PO4) bead embedded on a loop of platinum wire. The color is observed in the bead after heating the sample with the oxidizing flame and then the reducing flame of the torch (blowpipe).
Oxidizing Flame | Amount of Material | Chemical Element(s) | Reducing Flame | ||
HOT | COLD | HOT | COLD | ||
Colorless | Colorless, but when strongly saturated the beads may in some cases appear opaque white | Little or Much | Ca, Sr, Ba, Mg, Be, Zn, Y, La, Th, Zr, Sn, and Si, the later almost insoluble | Colorless | Colorless, but when strongly saturated the beads may in some cases appear opaque white |
Very Pale Yellow | Colorless | Much | Ta and Cd | Very Pale Yellow | Colorless |
Very Pale Yellow | Colorless | Much | Pb, Sb, and Bi | Gray | Gray |
Very Pale Yellow | Colorless | Much | Nb | Brown | Brown |
Very Pale Yellow | Colorless | Medium | W | Dirty Blue | Fine Blue |
Yellow | Colorless | Medium | Ce | Colorless | Colorless |
Yellow | Colorless | Little | Fe | Very pale Yellowish Green | Colorless |
Yellow | Pale Greenish Yellow | Medium | U | Pale Dirty Green | Fine Green |
Yellowish Green | Colorless | Medium | Mo | Dirty Green | Fine Green |
Deep Yellow to Brownish Red | Yellow to almost Colorless | Medium to Much | Fe | Red, Yellow, to Yellowish Green | Almost colorless to very Pale Violet |
Yellow to Deep Yellow | Yellow | Little to Medium | V | Dirty Green | Fine Green |
Reddish to Brownish Red | Yellow to Reddish Yellow | Little to Medium | Ni | Reddish to Brownish Red | Yellow to Reddish Yellow |
Green | Rather Pale Blue | Little | Cu | Pale Yellowish Green | Pale Blue, nearly Colorless; at times ruby Red |
Dark Green | Blue | Medium | Cu | Brownish Green | Opaque Red |
Dirty Green | Fine Green | Little to Medium | Cr | Dirty Green | Fine Green |
Blue | Blue | Little to Medium | Co | Blue | Blue |
Grayish Violet | Violet | Medium | Mn | Colorless | Colorless |
Pale Rose | Pale Rose | Much | Nd | Pale Rose | Pale Rose |