Chemical analyses
The aim of chemical analysis of solids is to determine the elementary composition after dissolution through attack by different acids or fusion. These elements can be isolated (as with most cations, or anions such as chlorides) or grouped together (as with anions such as sulphates or cyanides, or some cations such as ammonium).
Our laboratories have up-to-date traditional equipment for elementary analysis in mineral chemistry:
- ICP-OES (2 configurations: radial reading or axial and radial reading);
- XRF (on fusion beads or pellets);
- Ionic chromatography (mainly for anion analysis);
- UV-visible spectrophotometry;
- Specific C-S type analysers (by combustion followed by IR spectrophotometry measurement), TC – TIC (giving TOC), Hg by combustion, amalgamation and AAS, etc.
The laboratory also has other equipment enabling measurement more related to organic chemistry: C-H-N-S-O analyser by combustion followed by IR spectrophotometry (C-H-O-S) or thermal conductivity (N), bomb calorimeter for the determination of gross and net heating/calorific values (GVC and NVC). The recovery of gases emitted during GVC measurement also enables evaporated mineral elements to be measured (halides and sulphur by ionic chromatography or titrimetry, cations by ICP).
Thanks to our renowned expertise in sample pretreatment procedures (sampling, particle size reduction of solids, various solution annealing, separation and concentration), these instruments enable us to quantify around 80 elements in Mendeleev's periodic table, including the most common rare earths and precious metals (Au, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ag).
The fileds covered include waste, minerals, various materials and liquids such as metals, concrete, HF slag, sand, catalysers, polymers (determination of loads and mineral constituents), solid recovered fuel (SRF), wastewater, oils and oil derivatives, and hydrometallurgical procedure solutions.
This range of chemical analyses is rounded off with a set of physical measurements.
