A novel approach to the examination of soil evidence: mineral identification using infrared microprobe analysis.

Identification of minerals using the infrared microprobe with a diamond internal reflection objective is a rapid and reliable method for forensic soil examinations. Ninety-six mineral varieties were analyzed, and 77 were differentiated by their attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectra. Mineral grains may be mounted in oil for conventional polarized light microscope characterization and their ATR spectrum obtained with little or no interference by the liquid.