In mineralogical research differential thermal analysis can be applied as either a single or a combined method for three purposes:1.for the qualitative identification of minerals and the (semi-)quantitative determination of the components of rocks and soils,2.for the characterization of crystal-physical and crystal-chemical properties, including the study of kinetics and the determination of thermodynamic data, phase and reaction equilibria,3.for special petrogenetic investigations concerning the interrelation of mineralogical properties with the formation, decomposition or recrystallization of minerals.