| Abstract Scope |
Smelter Grade Alumina specifications will include selected elemental impurities that must be monitored. The Supplier-User Agreement depends on transparency in the specifications, which requires both parties being capable of analyzing materials, plus the choice of referring to a third party. For this, internationally developed, shared ISO standards for analysis are helpful.
The paper discusses determination of impurity levels by X-Ray Fluorescence, XRF. In Part 1, the main part, current ISO standards work is presented. Two alumina XRF-analysis methods are in common use, the preparation as glass beads (ISO 23201) or as pressed pellets (in development). Part 2 is a discussion on ensuring comparable analysis. Agreement in the selection of calibration materials is crucial for setting good specifications. Historically, the ALCAN-ALU calibration set is best established among suppliers and users, and this calibration should be preserved. |