Elemental Chemostratigraphy from Core Scanning

Portable XRF (pXRF) technology has enabled the widespread collection of chemostratigraphic data from valuable core without the need for grinding and crushing. Non-destructive elemental analysis of core samples enables the core to be more effectively used in correlative studies, the use of geochemical proxies to reconstruct past environments, and the use of chemofacies to aid in lithologic characterization. In unconventional shale resources; for example, chemofacies can aide in the differentiation between lithofacies with similar appearance but drastically different chemistries.

Collection of high-quality data with robust quality control is critical for successful core scanning. Bruker’s TRACER 5g is the ideal instrument for non-destructive elemental core scanning. The TRACER series of x-ray spectrometers have become the standard for pXRF core scanning by providing the investigator with the most flexibility available with a portable XRF. The TRACER 5g continues this tradition with innovations designed to improve light element detection and streamline the data collection workflow. The TRACER 5g is equipped with a graphene window detector and a helium flow, enabling the detection of sodium and better detection of silicon and magnesium.