Behavior of traces of refractory minerals (including monazite) in the lithium metaborate fusion

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5549765

Feldman, C

In the analysis of rocks using the LiBO/sub 2/ fusion - acid dissolution procedure, traces of various elements may escape detection if the minerals in which they occur resist fusion, or are converted by the fusion to some form that is insoluble in the quenching liquid used. To check for such behavior, 20 to 100 mg samples of 12 chemically resistant minerals were fused. Nine (cassiterite, ilmenite, rutile, wolfamite, magnetite, zircon, corundum, beryl, columbite-tantalite) gave melts which dissolved to give clear, stable solutions in 3% HNO/sub 3/ containing, in some cases, appropriate additives. Chromite produced a chromium carbide which could not be dissolved, but whose formation could be prevented by including NaBO/sub 3/ in the fusion mixture. The melt obtained with monazite required 6N HCl for dissolution. Molybdenite (MoS/sub 2/) was not attacked by any of the fusions tried.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5549765
• Report Number(s): CONF-8309151-1; ON: DE84000259
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102 -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
58 GEOSCIENCES
580400* -- Geochemistry-- (-1989)
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
BORATES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DISSOLUTION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
MATERIALS
MELTING
MINERALS
MOLYBDENUM COMPOUNDS
MOLYBDENUM SULFIDES
MONAZITES
NITRIC ACID
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE MINERALS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
ROCKS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM MINERALS
THORIUM PHOSPHATES
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS