{"id":2204,"date":"2014-02-27T08:33:14","date_gmt":"2014-02-27T13:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/?p=2204"},"modified":"2026-01-06T15:21:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T15:21:02","slug":"five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Five<\/a> X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the chemical composition of materials. Portable XRF technology <\/a>has been around since the late 1960s, and each generation has offered improved size, speed, performance, and ease of use. Today\u2019s portable and handheld XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a wide range of applications in any field environment, yet misperceptions persist about the capabilities of these instruments. In this post, we\u2019ll examine some of the most common myths about portable XRF analyzers.<\/p>\n

Myth #1: XRF isn\u2019t effective for locating precious metals.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In reality, precious metals can be detected directly by portable XRF analyzers in most instances, such as in ore grade control and exploration of rich zones. In cases where there are very low concentrations of precious metals, portable XRF analyzers are excellent at identifying pathfinder elements<\/a>, which can be used to locate precious metal deposits because pathfinder elements are present at higher concentrations than the target elements, and they originate from the same source or were deposited at the same time and place. See an example of how it\u2019s possible to successfully locate zones of high concentrations of precious metals<\/a> (platinum, palladium, and gold, in this case) by using portable XRF on pathfinder elements.<\/p>\n

Myth #2: XRF isn\u2019t a useful technology for oil & gas exploration.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oil and gas deposits are difficult to find and expensive to drill, so geologists need efficient, fast processes to figure out where these deposits are and evaluate their potential. Portable XRF technology is improving upstream oil and gas exploration and production by providing rapid sample analysis of drill cuttings, outcrops, piston-core sediment, and oil and gas cores. This information can be used for identifying formations and determining the mineral composition of rock and whether or not it has properties favorable to oil and gas production. New XRF analyzers are able to detect light elements to more accurately locate oil-bearing strata, improve mud-logging, and support geo-steering. And because XRF analyzers are used in the field, in real time, they provide a timely and cost-effective alternative to off-site laboratories. Read an application note about the use of XRF technology to analyze a variety of sample types common in the upstream E&P industry<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Myth #3: XRF cannot be used to determine lithology.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another important aspect of oil and gas exploration that can be accomplished with portable XRF analysis is identifying rock type, or lithology. \u00a0Lithology is accomplished with time consuming, off-site laboratory methods such as optical microscopy. Elemental composition and ratios can be used to determine lithology. XRF not only identifies elemental composition, but also the subtle changes in geochemistry of reservoir rocks, and can monitor the gradual transition from one rock type to another. Read a case study<\/a> summarizing the results of field-portable XRF analysis conducted on 221 samples collected from an oil and gas drill site in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n

Myth #4: XRF is inferior to laboratory analysis.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With adequate sample preparation, portable XRF analyzers yield results comparable to laboratory results but generate this high-quality analytical data within minutes, rather than days or weeks. Portable XRF instruments are designed to simply \u201cpoint-and-shoot.\u201d While this method provides very accurate results similar to those from prepared samples, the results may not be repeatable because a different section of the sample will be analyzed in each assay. When sample heterogeneity is an issue, portable XRF combined with sample preparation is the answer. The uniform surface and homogeneous nature of a prepared sample can improve the detection limits and the accuracy of field portable XRF analyzers. Sample preparation takes only a few minutes, the results are repeatable, and XRF analysis is nondestructive, allowing a portion of the prepared sample to be sent to the lab for direct comparison. Review results of a study on how portable XRF analysis may be enhanced with sample preparation<\/a>, including the correlation curves, repeatability data, methodology, and comments.<\/p>\n

Myth #5: You have to be a scientist to use XRF.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s portable and handheld XRF analyzers are specifically designed to be operated and interpreted by the non-scientist. Minimal training is required to operate a portable XRF analyzer. The instruments are usually pre-calibrated and display the exact percentages of elements present in a sample. Many analyzers are outfitted with GPS\/GIS capability for instant geochemical mapping in the field. \u00a0 Finally, some believe that XRF analyzers are all the same. In fact there are a multitude of instruments designed and calibrated for specific applications within mining, as well as for other industries including metals analysis, consumer products screening, and environmental analysis.<\/p>\n

View a comparison of popular XRF instruments<\/a> to see which analyzer might be right for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the chemical composition of materials. Portable XRF technology has been around since the late 1960s, and each generation has offered improved size, speed, performance, and ease of use. Today\u2019s portable and handheld XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":2205,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,34,11],"tags":[59,40,16,60,61,23],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-elemental-geochemical-analysis","8":"category-metals-measurement","9":"category-portable-xrf","10":"tag-element-analysis","11":"tag-handheld-xrf","12":"tag-mining-2","13":"tag-mining-instrument","14":"tag-portable-xrf-2","15":"tag-xrf","16":"entry"},"_selected_authors":[1199],"_selected_reviewers":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFive Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers in Mining<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Today\u2019s portable XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a wide range of applications in any field environment.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Today\u2019s portable XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a wide range of applications in any field environment.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Advancing Mining\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-02-27T13:33:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-06T15:21:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"725\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"483\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ali Somarin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ali Somarin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ali Somarin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/221f9fc8c2093ee2fe5c4df3861fe565\"},\"headline\":\"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-02-27T13:33:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-06T15:21:02+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":784,\"commentCount\":1,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2014\\\/01\\\/179019172.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"element analysis\",\"handheld xrf\",\"mining\",\"mining instrument\",\"portable xrf\",\"xrf\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Elemental\\\/Geochemical Analysis\",\"Metals Measurement\",\"Portable XRF\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/\",\"name\":\"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers in Mining\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2014\\\/01\\\/179019172.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-02-27T13:33:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-06T15:21:02+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/221f9fc8c2093ee2fe5c4df3861fe565\"},\"description\":\"Today\u2019s portable XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a wide range of applications in any field environment.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2014\\\/01\\\/179019172.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2014\\\/01\\\/179019172.jpg\",\"width\":725,\"height\":483,\"caption\":\"Myth versus Reality\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/\",\"name\":\"Advancing Mining\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/221f9fc8c2093ee2fe5c4df3861fe565\",\"name\":\"Ali Somarin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/17fb0b34b2d8eeab22a9d52c1513fb313468707e8095c3538834fa1405bd7323?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/17fb0b34b2d8eeab22a9d52c1513fb313468707e8095c3538834fa1405bd7323?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/17fb0b34b2d8eeab22a9d52c1513fb313468707e8095c3538834fa1405bd7323?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ali Somarin\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/author\\\/alireza-somarinthermofisher-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers in Mining","description":"Today\u2019s portable XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a wide range of applications in any field environment.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers","og_description":"Today\u2019s portable XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a wide range of applications in any field environment.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/","og_site_name":"Advancing Mining","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher","article_published_time":"2014-02-27T13:33:14+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-06T15:21:02+00:00","og_image":[{"width":725,"height":483,"url":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Ali Somarin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thermofisher","twitter_site":"@thermofisher","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ali Somarin","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/"},"author":{"name":"Ali Somarin","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/221f9fc8c2093ee2fe5c4df3861fe565"},"headline":"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers","datePublished":"2014-02-27T13:33:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-06T15:21:02+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/"},"wordCount":784,"commentCount":1,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg","keywords":["element analysis","handheld xrf","mining","mining instrument","portable xrf","xrf"],"articleSection":["Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","Metals Measurement","Portable XRF"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/","name":"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers in Mining","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg","datePublished":"2014-02-27T13:33:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-06T15:21:02+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/221f9fc8c2093ee2fe5c4df3861fe565"},"description":"Today\u2019s portable XRF analyzers have become the standard for instant elemental analysis in a wide range of applications in any field environment.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg","width":725,"height":483,"caption":"Myth versus Reality"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/five-common-myths-about-portable-xrf-analyzers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Five Common Myths about Portable XRF Analyzers"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#website","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/","name":"Advancing Mining","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/221f9fc8c2093ee2fe5c4df3861fe565","name":"Ali Somarin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/17fb0b34b2d8eeab22a9d52c1513fb313468707e8095c3538834fa1405bd7323?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/17fb0b34b2d8eeab22a9d52c1513fb313468707e8095c3538834fa1405bd7323?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/17fb0b34b2d8eeab22a9d52c1513fb313468707e8095c3538834fa1405bd7323?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ali Somarin"},"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/alireza-somarinthermofisher-com\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":6,"label":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis"},{"value":34,"label":"Metals Measurement"},{"value":11,"label":"Portable XRF"}],"post_tag":[{"value":59,"label":"element analysis"},{"value":40,"label":"handheld xrf"},{"value":16,"label":"mining"},{"value":60,"label":"mining instrument"},{"value":61,"label":"portable xrf"},{"value":23,"label":"xrf"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg",725,483,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Ali Somarin","author_link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/alireza-somarinthermofisher-com\/"},"comment_info":1,"category_info":[{"term_id":6,"name":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","slug":"elemental-geochemical-analysis","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":6,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":144,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":6,"category_count":144,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","category_nicename":"elemental-geochemical-analysis","category_parent":0},{"term_id":34,"name":"Metals Measurement","slug":"metals-measurement","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":34,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":14,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":34,"category_count":14,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Metals Measurement","category_nicename":"metals-measurement","category_parent":0},{"term_id":11,"name":"Portable XRF","slug":"portable-xrf","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":11,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":76,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":11,"category_count":76,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Portable XRF","category_nicename":"portable-xrf","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":59,"name":"element analysis","slug":"element-analysis","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":59,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","meta":[]},{"term_id":40,"name":"handheld xrf","slug":"handheld-xrf","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":40,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":7,"filter":"raw","meta":[]},{"term_id":16,"name":"mining","slug":"mining-2","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":16,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":111,"filter":"raw","meta":[]},{"term_id":60,"name":"mining instrument","slug":"mining-instrument","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":60,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","meta":[]},{"term_id":61,"name":"portable xrf","slug":"portable-xrf-2","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":61,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":7,"filter":"raw","meta":[]},{"term_id":23,"name":"xrf","slug":"xrf","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":23,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":46,"filter":"raw","meta":[]}],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13986,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/best-practices-for-accurate-in-situ-geochemical-analysis\/","url_meta":{"origin":2204,"position":0},"title":"Best Practices for Accurate In Situ Geochemical Analysis","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"March 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In situ geochemical analysis refers to elemental testing performed directly on geological materials in their natural location, avoiding the delays and costs associated with laboratory testing.\u00a0 While in situ geochemical analysis delivers immediate elemental data, the reliability of those results depends heavily on proper field methodology. Portable analytical technologies used\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exploration"","block_context":{"text":"Exploration","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/exploration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mining truck on a dirt road in the Andes, Chile (near Embalse El Yeso, Caj\u00f3n del Maipo, San Jos\u00e9 de Maipo)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1624,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/a-halloween-treat-free-periodic-table\/","url_meta":{"origin":2204,"position":1},"title":"A Halloween Treat – Free Periodic Table","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"October 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"No tricks here. Download this handy periodic table and X-ray energy reference guide to help in analyzing your mining samples. \u00a0It's our treat. Then visit our Mining and Minerals, Cement Production, and Coal Power pages for more goodies. Download Periodic Table.\u00a0 \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis"","block_context":{"text":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/elemental-geochemical-analysis\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"halloween scene with plastic pumpkin and candy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2707,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/potash-a-look-at-the-worlds-most-popular-fertilizer\/","url_meta":{"origin":2204,"position":2},"title":"Potash: A Look at the World\u2019s Most Popular Fertilizer","author":"Ali Somarin","date":"April 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Potash Explained Potash is one of the most essential fertilizers in modern agriculture, supplying potassium\u2014an irreplaceable nutrient that supports plant growth, crop yield, and overall food production. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), about 85% of potash is used in fertilizers, underscoring its critical role in global farming systems.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Data Management\/Lab Automation"","block_context":{"text":"Data Management\/Lab Automation","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/data-management-lab-automation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"potash evaporation ponds at mining site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13977,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/what-is-in-situ-geochemical-analysis-and-why-it-is-critical-for-modern-field-operations\/","url_meta":{"origin":2204,"position":3},"title":"What Is In Situ Geochemical Analysis \u2014 And Why It Is Critical for Modern Field Operations","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"March 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In situ geochemical analysis has become a cornerstone of modern mineral exploration, mining, and environmental fieldwork. As project timelines tighten and operational costs increase, organizations can no longer afford delays caused by traditional laboratory testing workflows. In situ analysis \u2014 the ability to measure elemental composition directly at the sampling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exploration"","block_context":{"text":"Exploration","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/exploration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up of industrial worker holding mineral ore in gloved hands on mining site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13544,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/did-you-read-these-mining-and-minerals-articles-yet\/","url_meta":{"origin":2204,"position":4},"title":"Did You Read These Mining and Minerals Articles Yet?","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"December 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"According to Google, here are the Top 10 read articles this year from Advancing Mining. Some have been around for quite awhile, but are still as relevant as ever. If you missed any of the latest articles, just click\u00a0here\u00a0to see the most recently published articles. You can even filter by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/general-industry-mining\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Top 10, words, isolated on a dark blue background. Alphabet on stone blocks.Rating. Rating concept. Background.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13488,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/the-role-of-edxrf-spectrometers-in-the-extraction-of-copper-from-ore\/","url_meta":{"origin":2204,"position":5},"title":"The Role of EDXRF Spectrometers in the Extraction of Copper from Ore","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"November 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Copper extraction is a complex process requiring precise control to ensure high purity. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometers play a vital role by providing fast, non-destructive elemental analysis of ores, concentrates, and intermediate products. This enables mining operations to optimize extraction efficiency, maintain quality assurance, and meet stringent industry\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis"","block_context":{"text":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/elemental-geochemical-analysis\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a rock showing signs of copper and gold.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/01\/179019172.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2204"},{"taxonomy":"division","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/division?post=2204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}