Nuclear and complementary analytical techniques for elemental analysis of granite rock samples

Abstract

The elemental composition of 29 granite rock samples from the Gabel Elba–Wadi Eikhwan area situated in the southern sector of Egypt’s Eastern Desert were analyzed using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Altogether, 45 major and trace elements were quantitatively determined. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to distinguish and categorize the rock-forming elements according to their elemental content. The applied ratio indicators and discriminant diagrams show that the studied rock samples are well classified to be granite. The principal component analysis results demonstrate clustered samples of common geochemical features. The integration of NAA and XRF has demonstrated its efficacy and relevance in rock studies. The obtained results hold significant importance for the regions investigated and can serve as fundamental data for future assessments and prospects.