Spectrochemical Determination of Rare Earths in Calcium Fluoride

Abstract

This paper reports the development of a spectrochemical method for the determination of type 4f rare earths (except lanthanum and cerium) in amounts usually employed in the activation of calcium fluoride. The method converts the fluoride sample to a common matrix, calcium sulfate, thereby eliminating the possibility of errors in the subsequent arcing of the sample due to previous physical and chemical treatment. Since the “burn” is made in air and recorded in the so-called “metallurgical region,” no elaborate apparatus is needed for analysis.