Elemental imaging by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the geological characterization of minerals

Fabre, C.; Devismes, D.; Moncayo, S.; Pelascini, Frédéric; Trichard, Florian; Lecomte, Andreï; Bousquet, Bruno; Cauzid, Jean; Motto-Ros, Vincent

doi:10.1039/c8ja00048d

Cited by 67 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…LIBS multi-elemental imaging was performed at the Institute Lumière Matière, University of Lyon 1 (France); this all-optical analytical technique was used to map the distribution of Ge in sphalerite (Cáceres et al, 2017;Fabre et al, 2018). The sample was analyzed using a Nd:YAG laser with a pulse energy of 600 µJ operating at 100 Hz and a lateral resolution of 13 µm.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Redistribution of germanium during dynamic recrystallization of sphalerite

Cugerone

Cenki-Tok

Oliot

et al. 2019

Geology

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Rare metals are essential to the development of the “green” technologies that are at the core of low-carbon societies. In nature, these metals are frequently present in trace amounts scattered in base metal ore deposits, but the physico-chemical processes that are responsible for their concentration into strategic minerals are still poorly understood. Based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), coupled with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis, this study shows that plastic deformation and subsequent syntectonic recrystallization of sphalerite (zinc sulfide, ZnS) led to the spatial redistribution of germanium (Ge): from a background level of a few hundreds of parts per million in undeformed primary sphalerite to tens of weight-percent in neocrystallized Ge minerals. During dynamic recrystallization, Ge is likely released from the crystal lattice of parent sphalerite and subsequently concentrated in Ge minerals, leaving behind a Ge-depleted, recrystallized sphalerite matrix. Identifying how rare metals concentrate through deformation and syntectonic recrystallization at the mineral scale is essential to understand the spatial redistribution and localization at the deposit scale. This study highlights the importance of coupling in situ chemical mapping analysis with macro- and microstructural characterization when targeting rare metals in deformed ore.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Redistribution of germanium during dynamic recrystallization of sphalerite

Cugerone

Cenki-Tok

Oliot

et al. 2019

Geology

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“…One standard deviation is systematically indicated for median values. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) imaging technique was used to highlight the distribution of Ge, Cu, Ga, Zn, Si, Fe, Cd, Al, Mg, and Ti, in a highly zoned sphalerite sample from Arre (ARR03 sample) to map metallic elements at a micrometric spatial resolution, and with a sensitivity at the ppm level (Sancey et al 2014;Cáceres et al 2017;Fabre et al 2018). During the analysis, the sample surface is scanned, through single laser pulses, in a pixelby-pixel manner to induce the breakdown of the material.…”

Section: Sampling and Analytical Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior of critical metals in metamorphosed Pb-Zn ore deposits: example from the Pyrenean Axial Zone

et al. 2020

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Rare metals (Ge, Ga, In, Cd) are key resources for the development of green technologies and are commonly found as trace elements in base-metal mineral deposits. Many of these deposits are in orogenic belts and the impact of recrystallization on rare metal content and distribution in sphalerite needs to be evaluated. Based on laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses, and micro-imaging techniques such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), we investigate the minor and trace element composition related to sphalerite texture for three types of mineralization from the Pyrenean Axial Zone (PAZ). Vein mineralization (type 2b) appears significantly enriched in Ge and Ga compared to disseminated and stratabound mineralization (type 1 and type 2a, respectively). In vein mineralization, the partial recrystallization induced by deformation led to the remobilization of Ge, Ga, and Cu from the sphalerite crystal lattice into accessory minerals. We propose that the association of intragranular diffusion and fluid-rock reaction were likely responsible for the formation of patchy-oscillatory zoning in

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“…It integrates electronics, the laser source, the spectrometer and the ablation chamber, which can host samples up to 200 × 100 mm 2 in a single box. For this study, the pulsed laser source was emitting at 1,064 nm, at a repetition rate of 1,000 Hz and delivered up to 500 µJ/pulse, which is orders of magnitudes faster than other studies employing LIBS (Fabre et al, ; Jain et al, ; Streubel et al, ). The ablation chamber capture particles using a vacuum nozzle and a HEPA filter.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compositional tomography of a gold‐bearing sample by Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy

Gervais

Rifaï²,

Plamondon

et al. 2019

Terra Nova

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This contribution presents the first results of compositional tomography of a geological sample. The volume render of 6 × 8 × 1 mm 3 was constructed by assembling 63 compositional maps acquired in 21 min (19.5 s/layer) by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which determines the chemical composition of the analysed spot from the light emitted by a plasma produced by the laser. This technique is, therefore, able to directly reveal the 3D distribution of chemical elements in a sample. As an example, the spatial distribution and 3D geometry of visible gold in an ultramafic schist are presented. Inasmuch as this newly developed portable LIBS instrument is able to the rapidly characterize the 3D geometry of any geological materials, it has a high potential to be useful for the mining industry and for a wide range of geosciences, such as structural geology, petrology, sedimentology and economic geology.

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Elemental imaging by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the geological characterization of minerals

Abstract: Evaluation of LIBS-based imaging for the detection of minor and trace elements in minerals with microscopic-scale resolution.

Cited by 67 publications

References 48 publications

Redistribution of germanium during dynamic recrystallization of sphalerite

Redistribution of germanium during dynamic recrystallization of sphalerite

Behavior of critical metals in metamorphosed Pb-Zn ore deposits: example from the Pyrenean Axial Zone

Compositional tomography of a gold‐bearing sample by Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy

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