I would imagine that some sort of plastic embedding and subsequent 
sawing/grinding and polishing would be ideal.
Could you perhaps contact a geology or metalurgy laboratory who would advise 
you on what protocols they would use (unles Dawit is from such a 
department?!) Failing which, I could send you our protcol used for titanium 
implants
I once applied for a post in a mining-house lab, and was asked if I realised 
teh seriousness of mixing up samples - this after 15 years in a medical lab!

BEst regards
Louise
>From: MaryLou 
>To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>CC: dawit Solomon 
>Subject: soil aggregates
>Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 12:31:48 -0400
>
>Dear Histonetters,
>
>A colleague is wanting to see inside soil aggregates of varying
>thicknesses, up to several hundred microns. I was able to make paraffin
>sections, 20 microns, by soaking the samples in paraffin for many
>hours.  No solvents allowed.  A researcher at NASA gets 1 micron sections
>from his dust particles in sulfur. We have no idea how he does it.
>Thinner is better. Any suggestions out there? Do any bone grinders have any
>ideas? Do you know of anybody else we can ask?
>Please include Dawit in your responses. Dawit, do you have anything to add?
>
>Thank you very much.
>Mary Lou
>
>




Louise Renton
Bone Research Unit
MRC
Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel & fax +27 11 717 2298
"Time flies like an arrow, friut flies like a banana"


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