Investigation of Mammoth Tusk Mammuthus Primigenius by Thermogravimetry and X-ray Diffraction Analysis

The article represents the results of the research of the mammoth tusk Mammuthus Primigenius using thermogravimetric (TGA) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The stages of thermal destruction of mammoth tusk components and their temperature limits are revealed. XRD of mammoth tusk showed that heat treatment leads to a change in the structure of the mineral component of the material under study from hydroxyapatite (HAP) to whitlockite. It was found that this process is caused by the presence of magnesium ions in the crystal lattice of HAP.