The cornerstone of modern geochemical research is the interpretation of analytical results obtained by a range of analytical techniques for the elemental and isotopic composition of geological samples (particularly silicate rocks). Although traditionally such data have been obtained from bulk samples, modern microprobe techniques have extended many of these capabilities to individual mineral grains. To obtain such data, the geologic sciences have hosted a wide range of analytical developments which are as sophisticated and as innovative as those found in any field of scientific endeavor. However, this degree of sophistication took a long time to develop. Despite the fact that analytical techniques have been available to determine the major and minor element composition of silicate rocks for well over 100 years, it was not until the 1950s and 1960s that modern instrumental techniques started to become available.
Before this period, analyses were undertaken by so-called ‘classical’...
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Jeffery, P.G. (1975). Chemical Methods of Rock Analysis. Oxford: Pergamon.
Potts, P.J. (1987). A Handbook of Silicate Rock Analysis. Glasgow: Blackie, 622 pp.
Riddle, C. (ed.) (1993). Analysis of Geological Materials. New York: Dekker, 463 pp.
Cross-references
Analysis: field methods; Analytical geochemistry; Atomic absorption; Compound-specific isotope GC-MS; Counters; Differential thermal analysis and scanning calorimetry; Electron microprobe; Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS); Gas source mass spectrometry; Geochemical reference materials; Geothermometers; Geothermometry and geobarometry; Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS); Ion microprobe; Isotope dilution; Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS); Luminescence; Micro-Raman spectrometry; Neutron activation analysis; Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE); Remote sensing; Scanning electron microscope (SEM); Spectrophotometry; Synchrotron X-ray analysis; Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS); Thermoluminescence; Thermogravimetry; X-ray diffraction (XRD); X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
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Potts, P.J. (1998). Analytical techniques. In: Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4496-8_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4496-8_10
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