Radiochemical determination of very low concentrations of nickel in rocks and minerals

Robert A. Zielinski

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USGS · 70232618

Radiochemical determination of very low concentrations of nickel in rocks and minerals

Robert A. Zielinski

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Abstract

A radiochemical procedure has been developed for the determination of very low concentrations of nickel in rocks and minerals. Sensitivity is 0.01 μ g Ni. Accuracy and precision is estimated to be ±5 percent to levels as low as 0.1 μ g Ni a marked improvement over other analytical techniques. Samples are irradiated, combined with nickel carrier, and treated by a series of chemical procedures: (1) collection of nickel in a lead bead using a fire-assay technique, (2) refusion of the lead bead and precipitation of basic element hydroxides, (3) anion-exchange chromatography, and (4) precipitation of nickel dimethylglyoxime. The nickel precipitate is weighed to determine chemical yield and counted for β activity of Ni 65 along with a precipitate from irradiated nickel standard solution.

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Robert A. Zielinski. 1975. Radiochemical determination of very low concentrations of nickel in rocks and minerals. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70232618

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