The mystery of the rising “Blanks”

If you’ve ever sat in front of your workstation wondering why your Blank and Background Equivalent Concentration (BEC) values are stubbornly high, you aren’t alone. It is a common frustration for geochemical analysts: your instrument is calibrated, your reagents are fresh, yet the background noise refuses to quieten down. These elevated values aren’t just technical nuisances; they directly impair your Limit of Quantification (LOQ). In a world where a $0.1\text{ g/t}$ difference in a gold tailings project can determine financial success, “noisy” data is a risk you cannot afford to take.

Understanding the noise: BEC and LOQ

To solve the problem, we first have to understand it. The BEC represents the total background signal of your analytical system – essentially the “noise” the instrument sees when no sample is present. When this noise is high, your instrument struggles to distinguish a genuine analyte signal from the background. This directly pushes up your LOQ, making it impossible to accurately quantify the lower concentrations that modern mining exploration demands. The root cause of these high values? It usually comes down to one single, persistent word: CONTAMINATION.

Clean up your act with expert training and standards

If your sample preparation isn’t meticulous, even the most advanced mass spectrometer will produce compromised results. Contamination is a silent thief that enters your workflow through water purity, reagent quality, and even the laboratory personnel themselves – common culprits include cosmetics, jewellery, and the powder in traditional gloves.

The Chemetrix Edge: We don’t just supply tools; we build expertise. Through the Chemetrix Lab Advisor, we provide your team with the specialised skills needed to identify and eliminate these “time traps”. By pairing this training with high-purity Inorganic Ventures Certified Reference Materials (CRMs), you ensure your calibration is built on a foundation of absolute purity.

Practical advice:

• Stop the “Double-dip”: Never pipette directly from the stock bottle; transfer your working volumes into clean, secondary containers like pre-rinsed LDPE bottles.
• Go gravimetric: Switch to weight-based (gravimetric) preparation. Mass doesn’t change with temperature, whereas volume does, leading to more reproducible and auditable results.

Technology that does the heavy lifting

While a clean bench is vital, the right hardware can act as your final line of defence against complex mineral matrices. Mining ores are notorious for their high levels of dissolved solids, which traditionally require extensive manual dilution – a process that introduces even more opportunities for human error and contamination.

The Chemetrix Edge: We recommend the Agilent 7850 / 7900 / 8900 ICP-MS series as the physical solution to these high-matrix challenges. These instruments are equipped with Ultra High Matrix Introduction (UHMI) technology, which uses clean Argon gas to “dilute” your sample aerosol before it even reaches the plasma.

Practical advice:

By using the Agilent 7850’s UHMI system, your lab can directly analyse samples containing up to $25\%$ total dissolved solids without manual liquid dilution. This not only saves hours of labour but practically eliminates the risk of dilution errors and reagent-born contamination.

From waste to wealth: The reward of precision

The ultimate goal of refining your workflow is simple: lower LOQs and higher confidence. When you master your contamination control, you unlock the ability to see value where others see waste. Successful tailings reclamation depends on this precision. By accurately monitoring recovery at trace levels, mining operations can turn legacy liabilities into profitable resources, contributing to a more sustainable and circular mining economy.

Take the next step towards cleaner data

Ready to lower your detection limits and boost your lab’s productivity? It starts with a partnership that understands your specific challenges.

Review your prep: Identify one source of potential contamination today (check those gloves!)

Audit your standards: Ensure your CRMs are matrix-matched to your ores for better accuracy.

Connect with Chemetrix: Let our team of scientists help you tailor a solution that combines Agilent’s world-class technology with practical, on-the-ground support.

Let’s advance science together. Contact Chemetrix today to explore how we can elevate your laboratory’s performance.

]]> https://chemetrix.co.za/from-dust-to-diamonds-how-to-master-trace-metal-analysis-in-modern-mining/feed/ 0 https://chemetrix.co.za/refinery-crude-oil-analysis-metals-and-trace-metals-analysis/ https://chemetrix.co.za/refinery-crude-oil-analysis-metals-and-trace-metals-analysis/#respond Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:01:08 +0000 http://chemetrix.co.za/?p=3841 Continue reading "Refinery Crude Oil Analysis | Metals and Trace Metals Analysis"]]> The determination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and metals in feedstocks
is critical to decision making in oil refineries. Chemetrix offers a range of Spectroscopy based solutions to determine metals and trace metals in petrochemical samples.

Resources

High-Throughput Multi-Elemental Analysis of Crude Oil

Application Note

Measuring Elements in Residual Fuels and Crude Oil per Method ASTM D8322

Flyer

Resources

Determination of Metals in Petroleum Fractions using MP-AES

Application Note

Improved Measurement Accuracy of Wear Metals in Lubricant Oils by ICP-OES Following ASTM D5185-18

Application Brief

Multi-element Analysis of Used Lubricant Oils

Application Note

Resources

Ultra-fast determination of base metals in geochemical samples using SVDV ICP-OES

Application Note

Quick and cost-effective analysis in remote locations, without the use of flammable gases

Application Note

Determination of Gold, Palladium, and Platinum in Noble Metal Ores Prepared by Fire Assay

Application Note

Resources

The Fastest and Smartest Way to Analyze Water Samples by ICP-OES

Application Brief

Measuring Cadmium in Water Title: Trace Metals in Water & Waste Samples

Application Brief

Using an Agilent 7850 or 7900 ICP-MS

Selection Guide