Determination of scandium and lanthanum in silicate rocks and coal with a simplified separation procedure and atomic absorption spectrometry

Simplified procedures for the quantitative separation and enrichment of scandium and lanthanum in igneous rocks are described. Co-precipitation with calcium oxalate is followed by co-precipitation with hydrated iron(III) oxide. Electrothermal and flame atomic absorption spectrometry are applied. The procedures are verified with synthetic sample solutions and the eighteen international reference samples of rocks and coal compare favourably with previously reported data and with data obtained by emission spectrography.