The technical staff of Quickshot XRF recently developed an overview of the steps required to prepare soil and ore samples for XRF testing. Request this piece of literature from Quickshot XRF; below is a brief summary.
Simple preparation of geological samples on site (in-situ) can yield data that is appropriate for some needs (surveying, etc). This fast and simple preparation includes the selection of an appropriate sample and simply cleaning off the sample in order to obtain proper results. The quality of data required for a users need will determine if this approach is acceptable.
If the quick preparation noted above is not sufficent for a users need, then a more thorough sample preparation will be needed. This approach will require access to additional accessories but should allow the user to obtain more detailed and accurate results.
The steps to follow (detailed in the available preparation overview) will include:
- Drying the Sample: be certain that a geological sample is properly dried
- Grinding: a grinding mill is required to create a thin powder for analysis
- Final Preparation: based on a users access to additional machines, timing, etc can be as simple as packing into sample cups or more involved, like using a press machine and pressing into ‘cake’ like pieces
Again, more details on sample preparation can be requested but the critical idea is that the approach to sample preparation is dependent upon what an XRF users data quality objectives are. For top results, a thorough sample preparation procedure should be utilized.
