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Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) on Geological Samples: Compositional Differentiation

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Abstract

LIBS is a developing analytical technique, which is used to perform qualitative and semi-quantitative elemental analysis of materials (solid, liquid and gas). Recently LIBS became an attractive technique to be used for geological samples, due to its advantages such as fast data collection and the lack of sample preparation. This study is done to improve analytical methods for geochemical analysis of samples during different exploration phases (Mining, filed analysis, etc.), to be used in the future as a real-time analysis method to save money and time spent in labs. In this work, LIBS has been used to differentiate between some geological samples gathered from different areas: South Africa and Namibia. Using principal component analysis (PCA), it was found that LIBS was able to differentiate between the samples even those of the same area. The results from the LIBS technique were correlated with subsequent analysis of the same samples by Particle-Induced X-ray emission (PIXE).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanoscience-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, P O BOX 392, Pretoria, South Africa

    S. N. Panya panya, A. H. Galmed & M. Maaza

  2. Materials Research Division (MRD), NRF- iThemba LABS, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West, 7129, Cape Town, South Africa

    S. N. Panya panya, A. H. Galmed & M. Maaza

  3. Physics Department, University of South Africa (UNISA), Muckleneuk Ridge, P O BOX 392, Pretoria, South Africa

    B. M. Mothudi

  4. National Institute of Laser Enhanced Sciences (NILES), Cairo University, Cairo University, 1 Gamaa street, Giza, Egypt

    A. H. Galmed & M. A. Harith

  5. National Isotope Centre, GNS Science, 30 Gracefield Road, P O BOX 31312, 5010, Lower Hutt, New Zealand

    J. Kennedy

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  1. S. N. Panya panya
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  2. A. H. Galmed
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  3. M. Maaza
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  5. M. A. Harith
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  6. J. Kennedy
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Correspondence to S. N. Panya panya.

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Panya panya, S.N., Galmed, A.H., Maaza, M. et al. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) on Geological Samples: Compositional Differentiation. MRS Advances 3, 1969–1983 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2018.401

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