Determining the Content of Silicon Dioxide in Bauxites Using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

The X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and the MA.BM.006 reference spectrophotometric methods were used to determine the content of SiO2 (%) in bauxites from different deposits. The treatment of samples prior to the analysis involved the following steps: annealing, melting using the borax method, and the formation of beads. Certified reference bauxite samples were used for the calibration curve. The calibration curve was produced with the correlation coefficient of r =0.9999 and the standard error of S = 0.0246. The average residual value between the content of SiO2 determined using the XRF method, and the reference method was 0.045, with a standard deviation of 0.068. The XRF method was statistically verified by the F- and t- tests (using the standard sample and the reference method). The values obtained in the tests show that the XRF method yields accurate results and that there are no standard errors.

Keywords

• xrf method
• spectrophotometric method
• bauxite
• silicon dioxide