Available standards
The Geochemical laboratory is equipped with most of the common Reference Materials (RMs) available to the microanalytical community, such as the USGS glasses (BCR-2g, BHVO-2g, BIR-1g, GSD-2g), the MPI-DING glasses (KL2-g, ATHO-g, ML3B-2g, GOR132-g, GOR128-g, T1-g, StHs6/80-g), the IGGCAS andesitic glasses (ARM-1, ARM-2, ARM-3), the CGSG glasses (CGSG-1, CGSG-2, CGSG-4, CGSG-5) and the IAEA-B6 obsidian. It also has several mineral RMs, such as tourmalines (IAEA-B4, the Harvard set, the UNIL T1-6 set), 91500-Plaisovice zircon, PCA-Sugluke rutile, MKED-Bear Lake- M.Painter-Khan titanite and other in-house RMs such as serpentine, amphibole and plagioclase.
Total alkali vs. silica (TAS) plot showing available standard glasses
Information on how to apply for analyses can be found here. For more info, get in contact with us!
Precision and accuracy for in-situ trace element determination
We routinely analyze glasses and silicate minerals with a spatial resolution ranging from 20 to 65 µm, acquiring masses from 7Li to 238U. The relative standard deviation on reference materials (commonly glasses) is better than 10% for REE, transition metals, LILE, HFSE and better than 15% for other elements (e.g., B, As, Sb). Accuracy is generally better than 10% from the reference values.
Representative precision (relative standard error %) for GSD-2g and BCR-2g glasses
Representative accuracy (%) for GSD-2g and BCR-2g glasses
In-situ isotope systematic
| Materials | Analyses | |
|---|---|---|
| Glasses | 𝛿11B, 𝛿7Li, 87Sr/86Sr, 208Pb/206Pb, 207Pb/206Pb | |
| Tourmaline | 𝛿11B, 𝛿7Li | |
| Olivine, Orthopyroxene, Garnet | 𝛿7Li | |
| Amphibole | 𝛿11B, 87Sr/86Sr, 𝛿49Ti | |
| Clinopyroxene | 87Sr/86Sr, 𝛿49Ti, 𝛿7Li | |
| Carbonates | 𝛿11B, 87Sr/86Sr | |
| Plagioclase | 87Sr/86Sr | |
| Zircon | U-Pb dating, 𝛆Hf | |
| Titanite | U-Pb dating, 𝛿49Ti, 𝛆Nd | |
| Apatite | U-Pb dating, 𝛆Nd, 87Sr/86Sr | |
| Rutile | U-Pb dating, 𝛿49Ti | |
| Monazite | U-Pb dating, 𝛆Nd |
Precision and accuracy for in-situ isotope composition determination
Li isotope composition of several reference materials (NIST610 and ATHO-g glasses and ILM163 clinopyroxene)
In-situ B isotope composition at LA-MC-ICP-MS of available reference materials plotted against reference values
143Nd/144Nd ratios for titanite at LA-MC-ICP-MS (85 µm, 6 Hz, 4 J/cm2)
Relationship between 88Sr signal (V) and 87Sr/86Sr error (2SE, ppm) for clinopyroxene (85-110 µm, 10 Hz, 6 J/cm2) and plagioclase (65-85 µm, 10 Hz, 6 J/cm2)
Plot of the measured ratios (y-axis) versus reference values (x-axis) for 208Pb/206Pb and 207Pb/206Pb for standard glasses
Relationship between 208Pb signal and internal errors (2SE) for in-situ Pb isotope determination in glasses
Imaging of geological samples
We have recently installed (summer 2024) a new Time of Flight ICP-MS for trace element mapping of minerals in both natural and experimental samples. These are our new results!
Elemental map of 138Ba in zoned amphibole from the 2.7 Ga Mt Clifford ultramafic rock (W. Australia). 10×10µm square spot
Elemental map of 11B in serpentinites from the N. Apennines (Italy) along contact between former pyroxene (bottom right) and olivine (top left) grains. 10×10µm square spot