Quantitative Analysis of Sulfide Minerals by Laser Ablation- Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Using Glass Reference Materials with Matrix Normalization Plus Sulfur Internal Standardization Calibration

• Published in: Fēnxī huàxué Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 201 - 207
• Main Authors: Yuan, Ji-Hai, Zhan, Xiu-Chun, Fan, Chen-Zi, Zhao, Ling-Hao, Sun, Dong-Yang, Jia, Ze-Rong, Hu, Ming-Yue, Kuai, Li-Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.02.2012
• Subjects: Calibration; Minerals; Quantitative analysis; Reference materials; Standardization; Sulfides; Sulfur
• DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1096.2012.10537
• ISSN: 0253-3820

A novel strategy for microanalysis of sulfides by laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS was established. In this method, the relative sensitivity factor of Ca relative to S in anhydrite mineral reference material was taken as a transition bridge, by which the relative sensitivity factors of interesting elements in glass reference materials relative to Ca could be converted into relative sensitivity factors relative to S by the transition bridge, then the quantitative analysis of multi-elements in sulfide minerals by multi-glass reference materials with matrix normalization plus sulfur internal standardization calibration was carried out. 20 elements in the American polymetal sulfide mineral reference material MASS-1 were analyzed using this new method. The relative errors of major elements in MASS-1 were less than 10%. and the results of trace elements with reference values were nearly within the uncertainty of the preliminary values. Multi-elements in 12 sulfide single minerals were analyzed by applying this new method. The relative errors of the greatest number of major elements were less than 10%. with which the results of most major elements were accurate than those obtained by MASS-1 as calibration standard with matrix normalization plus internal standardization or internal standard calibration. And the results to trace elements agreed well with the calibrated results by MASS-1 with matrix normalization plus internal standardization or internal standard calibration. This method overcomes the problem of non-matrix matched standards, enables to accurately determine the major composition of sulfur in sulfide minerals and suggests a new approach for analysis of sulfide minerals.