TTPIXE analysis of phosphate rocks and phosphogypsum

The TTPIXE technique was used for the determination of the concentrations o f major, minor and trace elements in phosphate rock and phosphogypsum sampl es. All the samples came from a fertilizer industry site in Huelva (SW of S pain). The analyses were done using proton beams from the 3 MV Van de Graaf f accelerator of the "Instituto Tecnologico e Nuclear" (ITN), Sacavem (Port ugal), The aim was to obtain data about the distribution of the different e lements in the process of P2O5 production in the factory. The information o btained allowed evaluation of the effectiveness of the chemical treatment e mployed, and gave a detailed information about the elemental composition of phosphogypsum, the main by-product of phosphate fertilizer production. The se data can be useful to define the phosphogypsum management and to evaluat e its environmental impact. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reser ved.