Geochemistry Guide 2025

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Mobile metal ion – SGS MMI soil geochemistry

SGS is the owner and sole provider of SGS MMI Technology. We have over 20 years of experience with this technology, and we are the market leaders in providing a weak extraction of the mobile form of the ions residing in near surface soils. SGS MMI is a world-renowned exploration tool repeatedly proven to find buried mineral deposits. SGS MMI Technology is an innovative analytical process that uses a unique analysis of metals in soils and weathered materials. Target elements are extracted using weak solutions of organic and inorganic compounds rather than conventional aggressive acid-based digests. SGS MMI solutions contain strong ligands, which detach and hold the metal ions that were loosely bound to soil particles by weak atomic forces. The extraction does not dissolve the bound forms of metal ions. Thus, metal ions in MMI solutions are the chemically active or ‘mobile’ component of the sample. Because these mobile, loosely bound complexes are in very low concentrations, elemental determinations are made by conventional or cell-based ICP-MS. There are many benefits to using SGS MMI Technology for soil geochemistry, including: • Few false anomalies • Focused anomalies • Minimal nugget effects Lower detection limit for Cr ( ≥ 1ppb) and addition of V ( ≥ 1ppb) are available under scheme code GE_MMIME. Additional elements such as S, B, Br, I and Pb can also be measured upon request. MMI sample collection Sample collection is the critical part of a soil geochemistry program. The SGS MMI Technology has specific sampling protocols based on years of experience and research. In the absence of an orientation survey, samples must be taken at a constant depth (10-25 cm) below the organic-inorganic soil interface. There is no sample preparation or drying. The analysis is performed on a 50g sample and the extracted solution is analyzed via ICP-MS. For detailed instructions, please contact your SGS customer service agent.

Individual methods for exploration grade analysis

SULPHUR AND CARBON CODE(S)

MIN. SAMPLE WT.(g)

ELEMENT

LIMIT(S)

DESCRIPTION IR combustion

GE_MMIM MOBILE METAL ION STANDARD PACKAGE / ICP-MS ELEMENTS AND LIMIT(S) Ag ≥ 0.5 ppb Er ≥ 0.2 ppb

GE_CSA06V

S C

0.005 - 30% 0.005 - 30% 0.01 - 30%

0.1 - 0.3 0.1 - 0.3

Nd ≥ 1 ppb Ni ≥ 5 ppb P ≥ 0.1 ppm Pb ≥ 5 ppb Pd ≥ 1 ppb Pr ≥ 0.5 ppb Pt ≥ 0.1 ppb Rb ≥ 1 ppb Sb ≥ 0.5 ppb Sc ≥ 5 ppb Sm ≥ 1 ppb Sn ≥ 1 ppb Sr ≥ 10 ppb Ta ≥ 1 ppb

Tb ≥ 0.1 ppb Te ≥ 10 ppb Th ≥ 0.5 ppb Ti ≥ 10 ppb Tl ≥ 0.1 ppb U ≥ 0.5 ppb W ≥ 0.5 ppb

2 -

Leach/ICP-OES

1.0 0.2

GE_CSA07D GE_CSA08Q GE_CSB02V GE_CSA03B

SO 4

Al ≥ 1 ppm As ≥ 10 ppb Au ≥ 0.1 ppb Ba ≥ 10 ppb Bi ≥ 0.5 ppb Ca ≥ 2 ppm Cd ≥ 1 ppb Ce ≥ 2 ppb Co ≥ 1 ppb Cr ≥ 100 ppb Cs ≥ 0.2 ppb Cu ≥ 10 ppb Dy ≥ 0.5 ppb

Eu ≥ 0.2 ppb Fe ≥ 1 ppm Ga ≥ 0.5 ppb Gd ≥ 0.5 ppb Hg ≥ 1 ppb In ≥ 0.1 ppb K ≥ 0.5 ppm La ≥ 1 ppb

≥ 0.01% ≥ 0.05%

Leach/ IR combustion

S 2-

CO 2 (Carbonate)

Coulometry

0.02 - 0.1

C (organic) C (inorganic) C (organic) C (inorganic) C (graphitic) C (graphitic)

0.01 - 40% 0.01 - 30%

Leach/IR combustion

0.25

≥ 0.05% ≥ 0.01%

GE_CSB03V

Coulometry

0.02 - 0.1

Y ≥ 1 ppb

GE_CSA05V GE_CSB05V

0.05 - 50%

Leach/IR combustion

0.05

Yb ≥ 0.2 ppb Zn ≥ 10 ppb

≥ 0.05%

Coulometry

0.1

Li ≥ 1 ppb

Mg ≥ 0.5 ppm Mn ≥ 100 ppb Mo ≥ 2 ppb Nb ≥ 0.5 ppb

Zr ≥ 2 ppb

ADDITIONAL SINGLE ELEMENTS CODE(S)

MIN. SAMPLE WT.(g)

ELEMENT

LIMIT(S)

DESCRIPTION

GE_CVA37A25

Hg

0.005 - 100 ppm 25 - 100,000 ppm

Cold vapour AAS

0.15

GE_ISE20V

F

Ion selective electrode/

0.1

Fusion

GE_ISE30V

Cl

50 - 5,000 ppm

Ion selective electrode/

0.2

Fusion

GO_CLA30V

Cl

25 - 20,000 ppm

Titration

10

SGS offers a wide variety of specific element analyzes. Please contact your SGS customer service agent.

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