There is a commercially available Windows software package which should have
just been released, or is due for release very shortly from Philips
Analytical. It is known as QUASAR and has been specifically written to allow
novice users to apply the Rietveld method for quantitative and crystal
size/strain analysis. No specialist crystallographic knowledge is required
to run the package, which comes with an extensive manual and on-line help.
It is our group that has developed QUASAR in conjunction with Philips over
the last 2 years or so and is the culmination of many years experience in
applying Rietveld to quantitative analysis problems.
We have recently published a paper on the analysis of igneous, volcanic and
metamorphic rocks (by Hill, Tsambourakis and Madsen "Improved Petrological
Modal Analysis from X-ray Powder Diffraction Data by the use of the Rietveld
Method etc etc" Journal of Petrology, V34 867-900, 1993) which could be
useful to you. The second part of this work involves the analysis of
sedimentary rocks and is currently in press. It may have also some relevance
to your current work. Let me know if I can be of further help regarding both
the software and its application to your phase system.
Cheers
Ian Madsen
CSIRO Division Of Minerals
P.O. BOX 124
Port Melbourne 3207
Victoria
AUSTRALIA
Phone +61 3 647 0366
FAX +61 3 646 3223
Email ianm@dmp.csiro.au