An ImageJ1 plugin for the rapid morphological characterization of separated particles and an initial application to placer gold analysis

A new method for the fast, quantitative, automated morphological analysis of large numbers of discrete particles is reported. The method is built around a Java plugin coded for the open source program ImageJ, and utilizes automated image analysis to record morphological parameters. Conventional measurements (e.g., area, perimeter) as well as Fourier shape analysis parameters are produced. Preliminary results from the study of morphological changes of placer gold during alluvial transport using samples from the Klondike placer gold district in the western Yukon Territory, Canada show that the data produced by this model should allow for a quantitative transport distance:shape relationship to be defined. The large data set generated is also used to make a first examination of the utility of a number of previously unevaluated morphological parameters. Quantitative morphological characterization has numerous applications including the study of placer and tracer minerals, sedimentology, descriptive biology and archeological artifact examination.