Application of rapid field analysis techniques to the exploration of battery commodity minerals

Summary

Rapid, field-portable analytical instruments provide potentially powerful tools to support exploration for so-called battery and other critical minerals, but the effectiveness of particular techniques for identifying specific mineral species or elements is not well understood.

We have undertaken case studies of graphite, Li- and Ni-mineralized rocks in drill core and hand specimens, comparing and contrasting results from infrared reflectance (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The results allow us to recommend analytical workflows that integrate IR, XRD and XRF techniques for the most appropriate detection of a suite of battery and other critical minerals.

• Infrared spectroscopy
• XRD
• XRF
• Mineralogy
• Geochemistry