Zambian Copperbelt Apatite and Rutile Trace Element Geochemistry

Electron Microprobe Analyses of trace elements in apatite and rutile minerals from the Zambian Copperbelt. The dataset includes standards and accuracy/precision data, with apatite from the Arkose, Kitwe, and Mindola Clastics Formations and rutile from three Arkose samples. Data was generated as part of a 2024 thesis from the University of Southampton.

Use Cases

• Assessing compositional zoning and intra-grain heterogeneity in apatite based on core and rim spot analyses.
• Comparing trace element signatures of rutile and apatite for mineral exploration targeting in the Copperbelt.
• Calibrating or validating laser ablation data based on spots chosen on the same rutile grains.
• Studying the geological setting of specific formations (Arkose, Kitwe, Mindola Clastics) using mineral chemistry.

Strengths

• Includes standards and documented accuracy and precision for the electron microprobe analyses.
• Analytical sequence for key elements (F, Sr, Cl, P, Ca) was designed to minimise time-dependent x-ray count variations.
• Apatite crystals received two spots (core and rim) to assess zoning, suggesting a structured sampling approach.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Electron Microprobe Analyses using a JEOL JXA-8530F Plus hyperprobe at the Natural History Museum, London.

Time Range

Data is associated with a 2024 thesis.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-09 08:30:57.346395; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Zambian Copperbelt, specifically samples from Nchanga (Arkose, Kitwe Formation).