When minerals crystallize from a melt or a fluid phase, relics are commonly trapped and preserved as fluid (or melt) inclusions several micrometers in size. Such inclusions are a main and direct source of chemical information about e.g. late-stage magma crystallization, crustal fluid flow, hydrothermal transport processes or ore formation, and can be analyzed by LA-ICP-MS to obtain the trace element content. Methods for fluid inclusion analysis has been established recently, and we are always open for new procedures for the quantitative chemical analysis of such inclusions.
Classification of fluid inclusions (from Fall et al., 2011)
Prior to LA-ICP-MS analysis, usually the samples have been examined by microtextural and microthermomethic analysis to determine the internal age relationship between the potential different generations of fluid inclusions, and to determine the formation-temperature, the salt content in the inclusions and the composition of fluid, gas, salt and crystallised material (melt) in the inclusion.
Equipment used for the microthermometry analyses of fluid inclusions