Lithium isotope ratios play a key role in tracing weathering processes within the context of paleoclimatologic research. Therefore, accurate and precise determination of the isotopic composition of Li is required for a large variety of complex geological samples with widely different Li contents. This technical note describes the extension and fine-tuning of the existing cation exchange chromatographic procedures for isolation of Li to whole-rock carbonate and clay matrices prior to its isotopic analysis via multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry. The method developed permits the isolation of >= 20 ng amounts of Li from carbonates and clays, by using a 25 cm long cylindrical column loaded with 8 and 2 mL of AG-50W-X8 cation exchange resin, respectively. A 0.5 M HCl solution is used as eluent. Li recoveries >= 99% were achieved and isotopic analysis using 10-20 ng of isolated Li resulted in accurate and precise delta Li-7 values - external precision (2SE) of 0.2 parts per thousand (N = 15). The analytical procedures developed allow Li isotope ratios to be investigated in parallel in both the clay and carbonate fractions of a geological sample within the context of paleoclimatological research
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