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Heterogeneous Response and Zonal Micromechanical Deterioration of Deep Rock-forming Minerals Under Laser Irradiation
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DOI：10.1007/s00603-026-05868-3.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
The mineralogical heterogeneity of deep hard rock is a critical factor governing the efficiency of laser-assisted drilling. This study investigates the micro-scale response differences of four constituent minerals, including fluorite, quartz, tourmaline, and plagioclase, by categorizing laser-affected zones into “weak, moderate, and strong” regions along the radial direction from the beam center. Utilizing an integrated characterization framework consisting of infrared thermography, 3D laser scanning, X-ray diffraction, and nano-indentation, we elucidated the thermal response, phase transformation, and spatial attenuation of mechanical properties. The findings reveal: (1) Fluorite, tourmaline, and plagioclase exhibit exceptionally high laser sensitivity, with spot center temperatures rapidly escalating to 925°C, triggering intense vaporization and melting. Conversely, quartz demonstrates superior structural stability, where energy dissipation is predominantly governed by thermal conduction. (2) Damage features are primarily controlled by the Gaussian energy distribution of the laser. Fluorite and plagioclase develop significant elevation gradients, while tourmaline undergoes typical brittle degradation. Quartz exhibits phase transformation only within the localized peak-energy region. (3) High-intensity laser thermal effects induce the enrichment of low-energy stable phases such as quartz. The primary component of fluorite decreases sharply by 54.5%, accompanied by the selective volatilization of impurity phases such as calcite. (4) Nano-indentation confirms that mechanical parameters attenuate with increasing radial distance. The most pronounced weakening occurs in plagioclase and fluorite, with peak reductions exceeding 80%, whereas quartz maintains significant mechanical resilience. Notably, tourmaline exhibits distinct curve dispersion and “pop-out” events during indentation, substantiating the occurrence of severe brittle damage. These insights provide a theoretical foundation for developing adaptive laser pre-weakening strategies based on real-time lithological identification in hard rock engineering.
Keywords:
Laser-rock interaction
Rock-forming minerals
Nano-indentation
Micromechanical deterioration
Zonal characteristics
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