Application of Minipal4 Portable Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer in the Verification of Geochemical Anomaly Delineated by Shallow Hole Drill Core in Eastern Tianshan

Abstract

A portable Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer(EDXRF) has similar properties to an X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer in the geological laboratory. EDXRF has a broad application prospect in the mineral exploration and is particularly suitable for in situ analysis at areas with a difficult and long prospecting period. However, further developments of rapid in situ analysis are necessary. A method for rapid determination of Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Mn, Co and Ni by XRF in the field has been proposed. Samples were collected by a vehicle-mounted drilling rig in the shallow overburden areas in the eastern Tianshan area of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Sample powder pellets were pressed manually. The determination limits of the method for Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Mn, Co and Ni are 2, 2, 1.5, 2, 2, 2 and 6μg/g, respectively. The precision(RSD, n=12) is less than 4.7%. This method can be used to analyze geochemical samples. The data of in situ rapid analysis was evaluated by comparing with that obtained from the geological laboratory. The geochemical maps of elements drawn by the two types of analytical data were completely consistent. This method can rapidly analyze geochemical samples in the field, decreasing the time of verification of geochemical anomaly and improving geochemical exploration efficiency.

Keywords

• shallow overburden areas
• geochemical samples from short hole drill
• on-site analysis
• verification of geochemical abnormality
• portable energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometer