Efficient rock digest preparation for geochemists

Trace element analysis of rocks is essential for understanding geological processes, determining the origins of rocks, dating formations, identifying valuable mineral deposits and reconstructing past environmental conditions. The precision of such analyses depends heavily on proper sample preparation, which often requires the sample to be completely dissolved. Traditional rock dissolution methods, which use metal-jacketed PTFE vessels and screw-top PFA beakers, are time-consuming and do not always ensure complete dissolution. In contrast, microwave digestion is a more efficient alternative that significantly reduces the time and energy required for thorough sample breakdown. Modern microwave digestion systems can reach high temperatures (up to 300 °C) and pressures (up to 200 bar), enabling the dissolution of even the most refractory minerals. This book provides an overview of conventional rock dissolution techniques and their limitations, and focuses on microwave digestion combined with hot block hydrofluoric acid evaporation. It proposes five key procedures that enable the complete dissolution of a wide range of rock types, including silicate, felsic, ultramafic and other rocks, as well as exotic samples such as pegmatites, ores, hydrothermally altered rocks and carbonatites, all within a relatively short time. This makes the work highly valuable for laboratories conducting trace element analysis of rocks for industrial and research purposes in various branches of geochemistry.