Feasibility Study of Synthesizing PGE-Bearing Sulfide Reference Material by Remelted Nickel Sulfide Fire Assay Button

Ling-hao ZHAO; Xiu-cjun ZHAN; Ming-yue HU; Dong-yang SUN; Chen-zi FAN; Ji-hai YUAN; Li-jun KUAI; Wen-jun QU

2013 Vol. 32, No. 5

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Article navigation > Rock and Mineral Analysis > 2013 > 32(5): 694-701

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Ling-hao ZHAO, Xiu-cjun ZHAN, Ming-yue HU, Dong-yang SUN, Chen-zi FAN, Ji-hai YUAN, Li-jun KUAI, Wen-jun QU. Feasibility Study of Synthesizing PGE-Bearing Sulfide Reference Material by Remelted Nickel Sulfide Fire Assay Button[J]. Rock and Mineral Analysis, 2013, 32(5): 694-701.

Citation:

Feasibility Study of Synthesizing PGE-Bearing Sulfide Reference Material by Remelted Nickel Sulfide Fire Assay Button

1.
National Research Center for Geoanalysis, Beijing 100037, China
2.
Key Laboratory of Elemental Micro-probe Analysis and Speciation Analysis, China Geological Survey & Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China

Received Date: 07 April 2013

Accepted Date: 15 May 2013

Abstract

Abstract

Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is suited to analyze the abundances and spatial distributions of trace elements in sulfide. However, the spread use of the technology on micro area analysis has been hampered by the different characteristics of sulfides from silicates and oxides and the lack of sulfide reference material, especially PGE-bearing reference material. In this study, a PGE-bearing sulfide (SRMD-1) is synthesized by remelted nickel sulfide fire assay button in AN evacuated quartz tube. The examination by BSE imaging revealed that the nickel button SRMD-1 was completely of monosulfide composition. Homogeneity testing by LA-ICP-MS shows that the RSDs of elements, such as S, Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Sb, Cd, Bi, are less than 10%. The data suggest the homogeneous distribution of these elements inside SRMD-1, but elements Mn, Zn, Sn, Tl are not as homogeneous with relatively larger RSDs. Elements Ag, Au and Pt are homogeneous inside SRMD-1, but RSDs of other noble metal elements are relatively larger according to low element content, instrument fluctuations or mass spectrometry interference. The homogeneity of the nickel button will be improved by increasing the content for the noble metal elements and lowering the quenching temperature for the molten samples. During the analysis of the nickel sulfide fire assay button, the spectral interferences in light PGEs (Ru, Rh and Pd) by argides is serious, and must be corrected, while the interferences to Os, Ir, Pt and Au can be ignored. Compared to the button which is not remelted, the homogeneity of the elements improved significantly. According to the work documented here, it is possible to synthesized PGE-bearing sulfide reference material for LA-ICP-MS by remelted nickel sulfide fire assay button.
- nickel sulfide fire assay /
- remelted in vacuo /
- Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry /
- PGEs-bearing sulfide reference samples

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References

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