Four Natural Chromite Reference Materials for the Determination of the First-Row Transition Elements and Gallium by LA-ICP-MS

Abstract

Four natural chromite samples (LBS13-04, LBS13-06 and LBS13-13) from the Luobusa ophiolite (China) and 16SW2-6 from the Stillwater Complex (USA) were developed as reference materials for in situ element microanalysis. Approximately 8 g of chromite fragments with grain sizes of 0.5–1.5 mm from each chromite sample were separated under a binocular microscope and analysed by EPMA, XRF, LA-ICP-MS and solution nebulisation ICP-MS techniques for major and trace elements at six laboratories. The results show that the four chromite samples are homogeneous with respect to MgO, Al₂O₃, Cr₂O₃, FeO, Sc, Ti, V, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn and Ga. These samples are thus suitable to be used as reference materials for in situ microanalysis.