Trace Element Analysis by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry with Particular Reference to Silver in the Brunswick Sphalerite

The ion microprobe, a form of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS), is one of the most sensitive instruments for the in-situ characterization of elemental distribution in mineral phases of limited dimension. Detection limits of parts per million have been achieved.The use of the ion microprobe for the analysis of minerals has been limited by factors inherent to the instrument and to the technique. The use of closely matching standards is the most widely recognized method for obtaining quantitative measurements. Ion implantation was used to produce closely matching standards for the present study.Trace amounts of silver in major sulphide minerals may significantly contribute to the silver distribution in complex sulphide ores. The ion microprobe opens a new field for the determination of the mineralogical balance of trace elements in processing plants. Various aspects of trace element analysis of sulphide minerals by quantitative SIMS are discussed.