24 Undergraduate Research Posters

This poster session highlights geoscience research conducted and presented by undergraduate students. Abstracts must be written by students (but may include non-student co-authors). Research topics may include any area of the earth sciences.

Thursday, 23 April 2026
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
LMH, 5th Floor Chapel

Evaluating the Handheld XRF as a Means for the Major Element Analysis of Carbonates

Paper number: 24-1
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:15 AM – 8:15 AM

Authors

Abstract

Neoproterozoic “snowball earths” are associated with carbon isotope excursions that are used for stratigraphic correlation and to reconstruct global ocean chemistry. However, carbonate δ13C values are not only influenced by seawater composition, but also by mineralogy and local processes such as post-depositional alteration (e.g. diagenesis), which can be determined through major and trace element analysis. This study evaluates the performance of a handheld XRF instrument as a rapid, non-destructive alternative to performing such analysis, as opposed to the destructive, expensive, and time-intensive ICP-MS. Each sample of a well-characterized Neoproterozoic stratigraphic section of carbonates from Namibia was slabbed and measured directly with the Niton XL5 Plus Handheld XRF Analyzer,  followed by re-measuring each sample in pressed powder form. ICP-MS solution analyses as well as several commercially available and in-house carbonate standards were used for calibration. The resulting measurements via different techniques show strong correlations between key elements related to the interpretation of carbonate alteration, such as Ca, Mg, and Sr. Conversely, several trace elements exhibit weaker correlations, likely reflecting much lower relative concentrations as compared to major elements, reaching detection limits, as well matrix effects. These results demonstrate that handheld XRF measurements of carbonate slabs can reliably capture major element variability, including elemental concentrations and ratios, relevant to mineralogy and diagenesis, showing their potential for usage in both laboratory and field-based studies.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 3

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026CD-410776

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