Addressing challenges in mining laboratories
Malvern Panalytical’s expertise center in sample preparation in Québec City held the 11th OMA user day on November 7. The main theme of the event was: Addressing challenges in mining laboratories.

What happened?
Twenty-four people coming from 17 organizations from all around Quebec’s province assisted in various educational presentations on technologies such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), laser diffraction, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and sample preparation. Half of the presentations were given by Malvern Panalytical experts. The other half was given by relevant guest speakers coming from universities or …

It’s not a surprise: No matter which high-quality product you buy, you always need to take good care of it so it entirely fulfills your expectations.
Think about the following points when unpacking your brand-new Claisse® instrument (or apply them to your current instrument, since it’s never too late to change). They might save you considerable time and money!
The environment
Did you know that many problems can be avoided by only placing your fluxer in a well-ventilated and dust-free environment?
The accumulation of dust can in fact lead to dysfunction of critical mechanisms, …

Analyzing glass disks with an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer remains the fastest and most convenient method for the chemical analysis of solid samples. However, the investments made in XRF and fusion equipment sometimes not always yield to the expected analytical results and estimated financial pay-offs.
Our experts recently published a white paper that tells you why.
Whether it has to do with inappropriate reference materials, wrong calibration of the XRF, inadequate sample preparation or incompatibility between the fusion instrument and spectrometer, these issues can easily be solved with the help of end-to-end expertise. …

Platinumware is used in sample preparation by fusion for XRF and ICP analysis. Crucibles (used for XRF and ICP analysis) and molds (only used for XRF) are made of 95% Pt and 5% Au.
Why use platinum and gold?
It has been proven that this alloy has a high melting point and can withstand extreme heat. Platinum has a great thermal conductivity and ensures very low contamination of the molten mixture during fusion. The addition of gold has a non-wetting effect. In short, the alloy of these two precious metals allows the …

The weighing step is of major importance in sample preparation by fusion since it has a direct impact on the analytical results.
Let’s see five best practices to ensure repeatability and productivity while weighing.
REPEATABILITY
Find the right weighing method
There are three weighing methods in sample preparation: sample-to-flux ratio, catch weight and manual weighing. The far best choice is sample-to-flux ratio since it ensures great repeatability and can be performed automatically using LeDoser-12 instrument. With this method, no software correction is required.
Avoid transferring the weighed content into a different container
You should always weigh …

We are proud to announce the launch of the Claisse LeDoser-12 automatic dispensing balance.
This 12-position instrument is the latest of a series of cutting-edge products used for sample preparation by fusion for XRF and ICP analysis.
Its three weighing modes (sample-to-flux ratio, catch weight and absolute weight) fulfill all needs in the laboratory.

Saves a tremendous amount of labor time related to the weighing task
LeDoser-12 gives a breath of fresh air in the sample preparation process. In fact, weighing samples and dispensing borate flux has always been known to be a very …

Claisse® LeNeo was launched in 2014. It’s a one-position instrument that is used in various types of industries.
Read the following lines to discover why it’s the right instrument to use in universities and colleges’ labs.
Reason 1 – Safety
The safety of students should always be an academic institution’s main concern. Manual fusion is often used in colleges and universities’ laboratories, but it involves the manipulation of hot vessels and is not representative of technologies used in the labor market. By being fully automatic, LeNeo instrument guarantees cold-to-cold operation and avoids the …

When performed correctly, fusion is the sample preparation technique that leads to the obtention of the most precise and accurate XRF and ICP analytical results. Among all factors that need to be considered to get great glass disks or solutions and therefore excellent analysis, the choice of flux is one of the most important.
Let’s discover why.
An Indispensable Chemical
The flux forms the matrix of the disk analyzed by the spectrometer. It must melt before the sample dissolves into it. An adequate flux allows to:

Optimize the solubility of the sample and …

What is fusion?
You might already know that the choice of the sample preparation method for X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) or Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) atomic emission spectroscopy analysis is critical to obtain precise and accurate results with the spectrometer.
Have you ever heard about fusion? Let’s demystify this technique and have a look at its benefits when compared to pressed pellets.
What is it exactly?
Fusion for XRF analysis consists of mixing a ground sample with a borate flux (lithium or sodium) inside a 95% platinum / 5% gold crucible, heating around 1000 °C with …