A low dilution fusion technique for the analysis of geological samples. 2—major and minor element analysis and the use of influence/alpha coefficients

Abstract

Abstract A previously described low‐dilution fusion technique has been used successfully for the accurate determination of major and minor elements in geological samples. Three methods of calculating appropriate α coefficients have been investigated, namely (1) multiple regression analysis, (2) the Norrish and Hutton method and (3) a computer program, NBSGSC, involving fundamental parameters and the COLA equation. Methods (1) and (2) gave poor results for rock types of widely varying composition. The third method requires that the variation of α coefficients with varying weight fraction of the analyte element be taken into account when calculating such coefficients.