H2O Content Measurement in Phengite by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry: A New Set of Reference Materials

Five new natural white mica reference materials (RMs) were developed for in situ H2O content analyses by secondary ion mass spectrometry at the SwissSIMS laboratory of Lausanne University, Switzerland. The white mica reference materials cover a large part of the natural muscovite–phengite compositional range and are therefore suitable as reference materials for the analysis of natural rocks as well as individual minerals. The independent H2O content of the reference materials UNIL_WM1 to UNIL_WM5 was obtained by thermal conversion elemental analyser and corresponds to 4.35 ± 0.02, 4.33 ± 0.03, 4.30 ± 0.07, 4.50 ± 0.02 and 4.42 ± 0.11 (% m/m, ± 1s), respectively. SIMS determinations of H2O content revealed a matrix effect correlated to the FeO content of white mica. The compositional range in FeO of the reference materials that were calibrated for H2O determination is from 1.13% to 3.67% m/m. No crystallographic orientation dependency was observed at the level of homogeneity of these reference materials. An analytical precision of 0.02% to 0.08% m/m (1SE) is expected for the final uncertainty on measurements of unknown white micas in natural samples. Key Points Five new natural white mica reference materials (RMs) were developed for in situ H2O content analyses by secondary ion mass spectrometry. SIMS analyses of H2O content revealed a matrix effect correlated to FeO content of white mica.