pXRF Measurements on Soil Samples for the Exploration of an Antimony Deposit: Example from the Vendean Antimony District (France)

Mineral exploration is increasingly challenging in inhabited areas. To evaluate the potential of soil analysis by pXRF (portable X-ray fluorescence) as a low-footprint exploration technique, we revisited a historic Sb district in an agricultural area and performed shallow-soil sampling (Ah and B hor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Minerals (Basel) 2020-08, Vol.10 (8), p.724
Main Authors: Lemière, Bruno, Melleton, Jeremie, Auger, Pascal, Derycke, Virginie, Gloaguen, Eric, Bouat, Loïc, Mikšová, Dominika, Filzmoser, Peter, Middleton, Maarit
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical chemistry
Antimony
Applied geology
Chemical Sciences
Data analysis
Data processing
Earth Sciences
Feasibility studies
Fluorescence
Geochemistry
Laboratories
Mapping
Mathematics
Metallogenesis
Metamorphic rocks
Mineral exploration
Mining
Profiles
pXRF
Quartz
Sampling
Sciences of the Universe
Soil
Soil analysis
Soil horizons
Soil sampling
Soils
Statistics
Surveying
Veins (geology)
Vendean antimony district
X ray fluorescence analysis
X-ray fluorescence
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Summary:Mineral exploration is increasingly challenging in inhabited areas. To evaluate the potential of soil analysis by pXRF (portable X-ray fluorescence) as a low-footprint exploration technique, we revisited a historic Sb district in an agricultural area and performed shallow-soil sampling (Ah and B horizons) along profiles across known veins to capture the endogenic geochemical anomaly signals. Despite an expected bias between pXRF measurements and laboratory analyses, the former effectively located the Sb veins, especially when using their multi-element capabilities. Composition data processing (CoDa) and horizon-selective sampling significantly improved the method’s efficiency. On-site measurements allow dynamic sampling and mapping, helping with faster, cost-effective sample selection for further laboratory investigations. Based on this case study, where similar geochemical patterns were obtained for both horizons, application of an on-site approach to a humic horizon can increase survey efficiency and decrease impacts.
ISSN:2075-163X
2075-163X
DOI:10.3390/min10080724