XRF analysis applied to study industrial feldspars and granitoids of Argentina.

PÉREZ, DANIEL; RUBIO, MARCELO; ALDO BONALUMI,; SFRAGULLA, JORGE; LÓPEZ, ALEJANDRA; GUERESCHI, ALINA BEATRIZ; VÁZQUEZ, C.; GOZÁLVEZ, M.; LUCHESI, M.; BADINI, R.; CUFFINI, SILVIA; SPAHN, G.; INGA, M.; GERMANIER, A.; SERVANT, R.

Berlín

Conferencia; European Conference on Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry-EDXRS 2002; 2002

Industrial feldspars and high alkali content granitoids have been studied by WDXRF spectroscopy. The geochemical program included 171 sampled deposits of the centre of Argentina with the objective to be able to find potassic feldspars and high-alkaline granitoids to be used in ceramics industries. This systematic research program was motivated in the international growing demand for alkaline feldspars and granitoids of low impurities level. In addition, it exists scarce information on the geochemical characteristic for this material in our country. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry demonstrated to be an excellent instrumental method to carry on more than 960 nultielemental analyses in three months. The measurement method was outlined to determine the most important chemical oxides such SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, P2O5, components like Cl, S, and elements that normally have low concentrations such as F, Ba, Sr, Rb, Y, Pb, Zn, Sn, W, Cu, V, As, Cr, Ni, Co, Cs, Eu and Ho. An optimized treatment cycle for standards and sample was implemented getting very suitable low detection limits, reproducibility and accuracy. Geochemical results were introduced in a database map where each sample was located by satellite GPS coordinates. Geochemical first conclusions [1] determine that the region studied contains commercially interesting feldspars in pegmatite deposits of potash type. Percentages of K2O higher than 12 %, with peaks of up 14 %, sums of K2O + Na2O > 16 % and < K2O/Na2O < 1 % in some cases were measured. Regarding the granitoids it was inferred a good correlation between chemical quality for ceramics industries application and geological genesis. Average sums of K2O + Na2O > 12 % have been found as well as ratios K2O/Na2O very close to 1 % in some deposits, considered as special raw material.