An Evaluation of the Rasberry-Heinrich Model for the Analysis of Silicate Rocks

Abstract

The Rasberry-Heinrich model for correcting for absorption and secondary fluorescence effects is evaluated in the analysis of silicate rocks. The interelement effect of binary mixtures of the oxides of Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, and Mn is studied in a 1:11 fusion mixture with Li2B4O7. Two binary systems are expected to exhibit secondary fluorescence effects and are reported in detail. The combination Fe2O3/TiO2 shows a small secondary fluorescence, whereas the Al2O3/SiO2 binary shows an absorption effect. The latter effect is attributed to the large absorption effect due to oxygen. The secondary fluorescence of its Fe2O3/TiO2 system in a diluted matrix of Li2B4O7 acts like a negative absorption rather than secondary fluorescence as described by the Rasberry-Heinrich model.