ADVANCED GEOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS USING XRF ELEMENTAL MAPPING AND SMALL SPOT ANALYSIS

Geochemical and R&D applications offer interesting analytical challenges in the sense that these materials can represent wide concentration ranges and varied sample matrices and sizes. Analytical performance of wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) instruments is being constantly advanced in order to cope with these challenges.

While the traditional WDXRF technique has always demanded homogeneous samples, the latest developments permit analysis of small areas down to 0.5mm as well as mapping of a selected region of a sample. These new possibilities open up the WDXRF technique to heterogeneous samples where segregations, defects or inclusions can now be determined. Coupling these capabilities with standardless analysis permits quantification of up to 79 elements of the periodic table on selected points of the sample.

In this presentation, several examples will be presented and finally tied into one thorough geological application in which the power and flexibility of this new WDXRF instrumentation is fully exploited.