Ž . Chemical Geology 182 2002 237–247 www.elsevier.comrlocaterchemgeo In situ analysis of trace elements in quartz by using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry Belinda Flem ) , Rune B. Larsen, Andreas Grimstvedt, Joakim Mansfeld Geological SurÕey of Norway, LeiÕ Eiriksons Õei 39, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway Received 27 September 2000; accepted 27 March 2001 Abstract There are several benefits which would result from the development of an in situ analytical technique for ultra trace elemental analysis of quartz, including rapid screening of possible high-purity quartz resources, by eliminating the need to remove solid and liquid inclusions by expensive dressing techniques prior to chemical analysis of structural impurities. Information on the petrogenetic history of the quartz can also be obtained from the distribution of trace elements. The main purpose of this paper is to describe an analytical method for estimating the concentrations of structural bounded trace elements in quartz. Ž A double focusing sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ICP-MS, Finnigan MAT model . ELEMENT , with the CD-1 Guard Electrode and a 266-nm UV laser ablation system was used in the development of the method for in situ analysis of quartz. The following elements are included in the analytical protocol: Al, Ba, Be, Cr, Fe, Ge, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sr, Th, Ž . Ž Ti, U. Analyses were carried out in low mass resolution mrD m s300 , except for Mg, Ti, Cr, Fe medium mass . Ž . 29 resolution, MR, mrD m f3500 and K high mass resolution, HR, mrD m )8000 . The isotope Si was used as an internal standard at low resolution, and 30 Si at medium and high resolution. External calibration was done by using the international reference materials: NIST 612, NIST 614, NIST 616, NIST 1830 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology Ž . Ž . NIST , BCS 313r1 from the Bureau of Analysed Samples BAS , the rhyolite RGM-1 reference sample from the United Ž . States Geological Survey USGS , Reston and the certified reference material Apure Substance No. 1B silicon dioxide SiO 2 Ž . from the Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany BAM . Because of the absence of an SiO 2 blank, the BAM no. 1 SiO was used for the estimation of detection limits. Detection limits for most of the elements are 2 between 0.2 and 0.01 mgg y1 . Analysis time and laser spot size were adjusted so that the raster did not exceed 300 =300 Ž . mm on a 200-mm-thick section. New data for the international reference materials BCS 313r1 BAS and NIST 1830 and the standards BR-K1 and BR-FR2 are reported. To improve the lower limit of quantification and analytical uncertainty at low concentrations, it is important to have calibration curves with well defined intercepts. This can be achieved by the use of certified standards, with trace element concentrations lower than the BAM no.1 SiO or a sample blank. q 2002 Elsevier 2 Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Quartz; Laser ablation ICP-MS; NIST SRM 1830; BCS 313r1; BR-K1; BR-FR2 ) Corresponding author. Fax: q 47-73921620. Ž . E-mail address: Belinda.Flem@ngu.no B. Flem . 0009-2541r02r$ - see front matter q 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S0009-2541 01 00292-3