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New chemical determinations of zinc in basalts, and rocks of similar composition

January 1, 1963

New determinations of zinc in 124 basalts by the chemical method described (Huff-Manet al. 1963) are reported. Average zinc values, in per cent, for basalts from diverse regions are as follows: Idaho, 28 samples, 0.013; Hawaii, 33 samples, 0.010; Connecticut, 27 samples, 0.0090; Oregon, 17 samples, 0.0081; California, 8 samples, 0.0071; and New Mexico, 11 samples, 0.0086; average, all samples, 0.0099 per cent zinc.

A plot of differentiation indicator ratios calculated from the conventional rock analyses, CaO/(Na2O + K2O) as the ordinate and SiO2/MgO as the abscissa, was used to select, from different localities, samples essentially the same in chemical composition that were to be used for comparisons of zinc and other minor elements.

Zinc correlates with MnO and with total iron as FeO. An inverse relationship found for zinc and manganese is related to the total iron content of the basalts. Thus for a given iron concentration as zinc increases, manganese decreases and vice versa.

Ratios of zinc, the common denominator, to 11 other minor elements determined spectro-graphically show correlations with cobalt, gallium, scandium, yttrium, and zirconium.

Publication Year 1963
Title New chemical determinations of zinc in basalts, and rocks of similar composition
DOI 10.1016/0016-7037(63)90020-6
Authors L. F. Rader, W.C. Swadley, C. Huffman, H. H. Lipp
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Index ID 70009997
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
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