Quantitative Elemental Analysis of Iron Ore by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Abstract

Results are presented of the elemental analysis of iron ore using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Calibration curves for calcium, silicon, magnesium, aluminium, and titanium were produced. The precision ranges from ≈2 to ≈25%. The detection limits are element-dependent, but are of the order of 0.01%. The extension of LIBS from the laboratory to a field-based analytical technique is discussed.