Mineral Exploration Geochemistry

Geochemical testing for the minerals exploration industry.

The advent of sensitive, rapid throughput instrumentation has revolutionised exploration geochemistry in the last two decades. Large multi-element packages with detection limits commensurate with crustal abundances of the analytes are available at Intertek for Total Quality Assurance exploration purposes at affordable prices. Limited AAS and ICP-OES suites are also available to suit the requirements of particular programs. A variety of digests are offered which include multi-purpose aqua regia, four acid "total" digests along with specialised biogeochemical and partial digests specifically for greenfields exploration.

Mineral sample decomposition:

One of the first considerations in choosing an exploration method is the decomposition technique to be employed. Sample decomposition techniques include acid digestion and fusions:

• Aqua Regia Digestion
• Multi-Acid Digestions
• Trace Elements by XRF
• Partial Digest Geochemistry
• Biogeochemistry
• Hydrogeochemistry

Multi-elemental testing instrumentation:

The most commonly used testing instruments are ICP-OES, ICP-MS, XRF and AAS.

ICP-OES and ICP-MS are widely used because of their convenient, virtually simultaneous multi-element capabilities.

AAS is generally used where single element work or a small number of elements are required.

XRF pressed powder is routinely used for trace element analysis in exploration samples while XRF fused bead is applied to major element analysis.