Analysis of zircon by laser ablation and solution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has been applied to the analysis of five zircon reference materials (RMs): Bureau of Analysed Samples, British Chemical Standard, Certified Reference Material (BAS BCS CRM) 388 Zircon; BAS RM 204a Zircon; British Geological Survey, Institute of Geological Sciences RM 35 Zircon; South African Bureau of Standards, South African Reference Material 13 Zirconium Concentrate; and Standards Association of Australia, Australian Standards Certified Reference Material 008 Zircon Sand Concentrate. Hafnium, Y, REE, Th and U have been determined in each of these samples. Methods of sample preparation and calibration procedures are described for fused glasses, solutions and pressed powders. The results obtained for BAS BCS CRM 388, by solution analysis and laser ablation, with both standard additions and calibration using a spiked synthetic zircon, are compared with an independent analysis using instrumental neutron activation analysis. The analytical results for all of the zircon RMs demonstrate the agreement between the solution data and those obtained from laser ablation of glasses. Provisional results indicate that pressed powders of zircon RMs can be used to calibrate the laser ablation system.