Energy‐dispersive x‐ray fluorescence analysis of borax beads using double dilution without comparison standards

A method for the energy‐dispersive x‐ray fluorescence analysis of geological materials in borax glasses without standards is described. The usefulness of the procedure was demonstrated by analysing five certified sedimentary rock reference materials for Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , CaO, TiO 2 , MnO and Fe 2 O 3 . The experimental results show reasonable agreement with the certified values. The method has a theoretical precision of 2% when dilution ratios of 6 and 12 are used. The actual precision of the method ranges from 4 to 15% for these element oxides. For the major oxides considered, the procedure can be useful when certified or well characterized geological standards are not available.