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The Materials Analysis
Unit performs geologic/mineralogic, metallurgical, and elemental
examinations on evidence associated with property crimes, violent
crimes, and disasters. The Unit consists of three subunits:
- Mineralogy Subunit—Examines naturally occurring
geologic materials such as soil, rocks, minerals, and gemstones.
Conducts examinations on man-made products that are derived from
geologic materials, such as glass, building materials, and abrasive
compounds.
- Metallurgy Subunit—Conducts compositional,
fabrication, and failure analyses of a variety of metallic objects
using physical, optical, and spectrographic methods.
- Elemental Analysis
Subunit—Examines
metals, alloys, bullet lead, shot, and heavy metal in human hair.
For more information about materials evidence examinations or
the Materials Analysis Unit, see the Metallurgy, Elemental
Analysis, Abrasives,
Building Materials,
Glass, and
Soil sections of the Handbook of
Forensic Services.
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The scanning electron microscope
(SEM) is used in elemental analyses and in examinations requiring
detailed
images of minute evidence. |
Microscopic examination of
soil |
Inductively-coupled plasma-atomic
emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) |
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