Elemental imaging by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the geological characterization of mineralsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c8ja00048d

• Main Authors: Fabre, Cécile, Devismes, Damien, Moncayo, Samuel, Pelascini, Frédéric, Trichard, Florian, Lecomte, Andreï, Bousquet, Bruno, Cauzid, Jean, Motto-Ros, Vincent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0267-9477; 1364-5544
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ja00048d

Geological studies increasingly require highly sensitive elemental techniques able to image the distribution of elements in minerals with microscopic-scale resolution. In this paper, we present an evaluation of megapixel laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) imaging for the geological characterization of minerals. The study is conducted on a hydrothermal ore sample with a complex mineral structure involving five different mineral phases (galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, quartz and ankerite). A new methodology of data treatment adapted to a multi-phase material and megapixel LIBS imaging is also detailed. We demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that LIBS-imaging technology is able to both detect and image rare earth elements (here La and Y) in carbonate as well as substituents present at the ppm-scale level in various mineral phases ( i.e. , cadmium in sphalerite; bismuth, silver and antimony in galena; beryllium and aluminum in quartz; and tin in chalcopyrite). These results appear extremely promising for the geological domain and should pave the way for innumerable applications. Evaluation of LIBS-based imaging for the detection of minor and trace elements in minerals with microscopic-scale resolution.