Calcium is a common contaminant in mineral concentrates that can affect the quality and value of the product. For example, in the processing of copper concentrates, the presence of calcium can lead to the formation of slag during smelting, which reduces the recovery of copper. Therefore, the determination of calcium concentration in mineral concentrates is important for quality control and trading purposes.

The choice of the method depends on the sample type, the required detection limit, and the analytical precision required.

Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS): AAS is a common method for the determination of calcium in mineral concentrates. The method is based on the measurement of the absorption of light by calcium atoms in a flame, which is proportional to the concentration of calcium in the sample. The working range for AAS is typically in the range of 0.01% to 10% calcium.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF):

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES): is another commonly used method for the determination of calcium in mineral concentrates. This method uses an inductively coupled plasma to excite and ionize atoms in the sample, and measures the resulting emission spectra to determine the concentration of calcium. The working range for ICP-OES is typically in the range of 0.001% to 10% calcium.

In summary, the determination of calcium concentration in mineral concentrates is important for quality control and trading purposes. AAS, ICP-OES, and XRF are common assay methods for the determination of calcium, and the choice of method depends on the sample type and the required detection limit.