Abundances Of Bi Research Articles

Determination of Ga, Ge, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, W, Tl and Bi in USGS Whole‐Rock Reference Materials by Standard Addition ICP‐MS

A procedure for determining a wide range of chalcophile and siderophile elements in typical crustal rocks using standard addition and ICP‐SFMS (inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry) is presented. New results for Ga, Ge, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, W, Tl and Bi abundances in USGS whole‐rock reference materials AGV‐2, BHVO‐1, BIR‐1, G‐2, GSP‐1 and W‐2 are reported using this analytical procedure. Intermediate precision of means based on multiple dissolved aliquots of each USGS reference material was 10% RSD or better for Ga, Ge, In and Sn in all, and similarly good for Ag, Cd, Sb, Tl and Bi in most reference materials. Poorer intermediate precision of Mo and W measurements in several reference materials is probably due to higher analytical blanks on these elements and powder heterogeneity due to a sulfide‐related nugget effect in the specific case of Mo in GSP‐1. Results for all elements fell within the range of available published data with the exception of Ag, which yielded systematically higher concentrations than found in the literature for five of the six reference materials, likely reflecting interference from unresolved polyatomic species.

Geochemistry of trace elements in coals from the Zhuji Mine, Huainan Coalfield, Anhui, China

The abundances of nine major elements and thirty-eight trace elements in 520 samples of low sulfur coals from the Zhuji Mine, Huainan Coalfield, Anhui, China, were determined. Samples were mainly collected from 10 minable coal seams of 29 boreholes during exploration. The B content in coals shows that the influence of brackish water decreased toward the top of coal seams; marine transgression and regression occurred frequently in the Lower Shihezi Formation. A wide range of elemental abundances is found. Weighted means of Na, K, Fe, P, Be, B, Co, Ni, Cr, Se, Sb, Ba, and Bi abundances in Zhuji coals are higher, and the remainder elements are either lower or equal to the average values of elements in coals of northern China. Compared to the Chinese coals, the Zhuji coals are higher in Na, K, Be, B, Cr, Co, Se, Sn, Sb, and Bi, but lower in Ti, P, Li, V and Zn. The Zhuji coals are lower only in S, P, V and Zn than average U.S. and world coals. Potassium, Mg, Ca, Mn, Sr, As, Se, Sb and light rare earth elements (LREE) had a tendency to be enriched in thicker coal seams, whereas Fe, Ti, P, V, Co, Ni, Y, Mo, Pb and heavy rare earth elements (HREE) were inclined to concentrate in thinner coal seams. The enrichment of some elements in the Shanxi or Upper Shihezi Formations is related to their depositional environments. The elements are classified into three groups based on their stratigraphic distributions from coal seams 3 to 11-2, and the characteristics of each group are discussed. Lateral distributions of selected elements are also investigated. The correlation coefficients of elemental abundances with ash content show that the elements may be classified into four groups related to modes of occurrence of these elements.

Bismuth in stony meteorites and standard rocks

Bismuth has been determined by alpha counting of the 210 Po daughter activity of the 210 Bi formed by thermal neutron activation. Results are presented for thirty chondrites, six achondrites, eight separated meteoritic phases, and six U.S. Geological Survey standard rocks. There is no resolvable difference in Bi abundances among the different groups of ordinary chondrites. Bismuth concentration decreases with increasing petrologic grade among the ordinary chondrites. The enstatite chondrites are separable into two groups on the basis of Bi data.