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The accuracy and precision of routine energy‐dispersive electron microprobe analysis of serpentine
Author(s) -
Wicks F. J.,
Plant A. G.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
x‐ray spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.447
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1097-4539
pISSN - 0049-8246
DOI - 10.1002/xrs.1300120204
Subject(s) - electron microprobe , accuracy and precision , enstatite , analytical chemistry (journal) , forsterite , mineralogy , standard deviation , relative standard deviation , magnesium , kyanite , materials science , geology , chemistry , mathematics , metallurgy , physics , quartz , statistics , detection limit , chromatography , meteorite , astronomy , chondrite
A serpentine mineral specimen used for a standard in a Materials Analysis Company Model 400 electron microprobe equipped with a Kevex Model 5000A energy dispersive sperctrometer and an on‐line Hewlett–Packard 2100 computer, was repeatedly analysed during a study of serpentinization. The results of the repeated analyses were statistically analysed and show an acceptable level of accuracy and precision. The relative and absolute errors for the serpentine standard lie within the same ranges as the errors for the other standards (forsterite, enstatite, diopside, kyanite and kaersutite) used, although the standard deviations for the serpentine analyses are slightly greater. These results are within acceptable limits and indicate that serpentine can be routinely analysed by energy dispersed analysis, using a serpentine standard for magnesium and silicon determinations, with the same accuracy but with slightly lower precision than less hydrous silicates. Most elements were present in amounts between 2 to 63 wt% of the oxide in the standards used but 0.31 wt% Al 2 O 3 present in the serpentine standard was routinely determined with acceptable results.