1.

Grind the sample to a talc-like powder (<0.062 mm).

2.

Place a small amount of sample in the center of the quartz zero background Si disk. Two Adding a quartz disks behind the Si disk will adequately fill the sample holder. The upper quartz disk will be used for the slurry.

3.

Add 2–3 drops of acetone, isopropyl alcohol, or distilled water to the sample.
Note: Acetone and Isopropyl alcohol dry faster than water.

4.

Create a thin layer of sample material using a glass rod (rolling it over the sample works well) or using a plastic or glass disposable pipette.

5.

Place sample in a desiccator to dry if water was used. Samples done with acetone or isopropyl alcohol will dry very quickly.

1.

Add 25 ml of 1% Borax solution to the clay plug 

2.

Dismembrate the sample (machine is auto set on time), to remove the >2 μm clay fraction

3.

Centrifuge for 4 mins at 750 rpm, decant the suspended liquid into a separate centrifuge tube (you should end up with a ~full centrifuge tube of suspended clay)

4.

Repeat steps 1-3 on the remaining >2 μm fraction

5.

Centrifuge the <2 μm fraction for 15 mins at 1500 rpm to remove the Borax solution 

6.

Decante and add 25 ml of nanopure water

Centrifuge for 60 mins at 3000 rpm, decant the liquid decantes before loading onto a zero background silica disk