Abstract

The effect of major components of silicate rocks and minerals, Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, and Na, on the common trace elements in a dc arc plasma was investigated by measuring plasma parameters such as volatilization rate, temperature, electron density, and electric field strength in matrices consisting of SiO₂ with and without the major components. Identical behavior of these parameters in the synthetic mixtures and pure SiO₂ occurs only in the central portion (≈2 mm) of the arc plasma. Common petrological types of silicates were analyzed against standards in pure SiO₂ for the common trace element assemblage. Internal standards can be discarded, and coefficients of variation of approximately 15% were obtained for all trace elements analyzed.

Spectrochemical Determination of the Major Constituents of Minerals and Rocks

Aslak Kvalheim
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 37(7) 585-592 (1947)

A New Approach to Direct Reading Spectrochemical Analysis*

Richard K. Brehm and Velmer A. Fassel
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 43(10) 886-889 (1953)

Erratum: Spectrochemical Determination of the Major Constituents of Minerals and Rocks

Aslak Kvalheim
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 38(5) 479-479 (1948)

Optical constants of minerals and rocks

J. R. Aronson and P. F. Strong
Appl. Opt. 14(12) 2914-2920 (1975)

Air-Cooled Electrodes for the Spectrochemical Analysis of Powders*†‡

B. J. Stallwood
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 44(2) 171-176 (1954)