Joint utilization of double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and X-ray computed tomography for volumetric information of geological samples

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to present a novel algorithm to combine high-resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (HRXCT) and Double-Pulse Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (DP LIBS) for geological samples' analysis. The ability to reveal the elemental composition of the internal structure is demonstrated on a rare geological sample from a unique Talnakh PGE–Cu–Ni sulfide deposit. The main point of the suggested approach is to assign the DP LIBS elemental maps to the different densities of the HRXCT data. This assignment is based on the coordinates of the HRXCT data (top-cross section) and DP LIBS elemental maps of the surface. The resolution and orientation of these two images are aligned in order to enable a comparison. Moreover, the volumetric information about individual materials within the sample was estimated.