Machines to investigate the

composition of rocks and

minerals
XRD (mineralogy)

XRF (major element geochemistry)

INAA (trace element geochemistry)

ICP-MS (major and trace element

geochemistry)

older methods (ICP-OES, ICP-AAS)

 Spot analysis
CL (not composition)
SEM-EDS
Microprobe EMPA (elements and abundant
isotopes)

Ionprobe (elements and isotopes)

SHRIMP (elements and isotopes)
ICP-MS-MC/SC-LA (isotopes)
 Sampling
right size
clean sampling
clean packaging
clean transport
clear labeling and storage
What is representative ?
 laboratory preparation
powder sample
fusion bead
dilution
radiation
mound
thin section
Swing mill
 Sample preparation:
powder and fusion beads
Thin sections
 Mounds:
using heavy liquids for
separation
Mounds
 X-Ray Diffraction
Diffraction of x-rays with-in
the crystal structure is measured

to identify and quantify the mineralogical composition

(obviously used mainly for fine-grained substances and in material sciences)
Quantitative analyses
 X-Ray
Fluorescence
In X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, the process begins by exposing
the sample to a source of x-rays. As these high energy photons strike
the sample, they tend to knock electrons out of their orbits around the
nuclei of the atoms that make up the sample. When this occurs, an
electron from an outer orbit, or shell, of the atom will fall into the shell
of the missing electron. Since outer shell electrons are more energetic
than inner shell electrons, the relocated electron has an excess of
energy that is expended as an x-ray fluorescence photon. This
fluorescence is unique to the composition of the sample. The detector
collects this spectrum and converts them to electrical impulses that
are proportional to the energies of the various x-rays in the samples
spectrum.
 samples:
bead and powder
Problem: standards
results: no better method for
measuring major elements
INAA: for heavy elements
(instrumental neutron activation analysis)
INAA
ICP-MS: for all elements

ICP-OES: limited range

ICP-AAS: single standard per element
Get the material
in solution
after milling

type of solution
ICP: Inductive coupled plasma
Plasma
MS: mass spectrometer
Microprobe
Measuring the chemical
composition
with wave length spectra
measurements
Garnet analysis
 Pyrope

Almandine Grossular
Spessartine