Determination by Neutron Activation of Gallium and Germanium in Iron Meteorites

Abstract

Summary A procedure is given for the simultaneous determination by neutron activation of gallium and germanium in iron meteorites or other similar materials. Germanium is separated from interfering activities by solvent extraction from 8 Ν HCl into carbon tetrachloride followed by distillation as GeCl4. The chemical yield is determined colorimetrically using phenylfluorone. Gallium is separated by repeated solvent extactions into isopropyl ether, and the yield is determined by flame photometry. About 12 man hours are necessary to process six to eight samples, not including the time necessary to reduce the counting data. The detection limits for a thermal-neutron flux of 1012 cm-2 sec-1 are about 0.02 ppm germanium and 0.0001 ppm gallium.