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Poster Contributed Presentation

ATOM

Thursday Poster Sessions

Th29 - Partial matrix matching multi-energy calibration for direct quantification of Al, Fe, Li and Si in spodumene by lased-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Thursday, October 9, 2025
9:45 AM - 4:00 PM EDT
Location: Riverview Lobby
In fifteen words or less, explain the significance of this contribution (Novel Aspect).:

The PMM-MEC enables elemental determinations in spodumene by LIBS using one standard and internal correction.

Abstract Text:

The increasing demand for new energy sources, such as lithium batteries, has driven exploration of lithium sources like brines and pegmatites, with spodumene being the only mineral with an economically viable extraction route. In 2020, the European Commission listed lithium as a critical raw material. To ensure the quality of spodumene, rapid and accurate analytical methods are essential. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a promising technique for direct, rapid multi-element analysis, but it usually suffers from intense matrix effects. This study proposes a partial matrix matching multi-energy calibration approach (PMM-MEC) combined with sodium borate fusion for the determination of Al, Fe, Li and Si in spodumene by LIBS. Sodium and boron were used as internal standards to mitigate matrix effects and improve the method’s accuracy. The PMM-MEC method was validated by determining Al, Fe, Li and Si in two spodumene samples from different locations in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A mixture of spodumene samples, previously characterized by XRF and ICP OES, was used as the reference sample. The method provided relative errors between -12% and 10% and relative standard deviations (RSD) ranging from 0.2% to 2.3%. The limits of detection for all analytes were in the 0.0003% - 0.03% range.