Is XRF analysis destructive?
No. Aside from the fact that we may have to scrub or scrape away surface residues, you’ll never know the artifact has been analyzed. The best candidates for nondestructive XRF analysis are artifacts that are of adequate sample mass (see below) and that have a relatively flat and clean surface available for analysis. While it’s possible the increase the accuracy and precision of the analysis by using finely powdered samples that have been pressed into pellets, a considerable body of research now exists that demonstrates that nondestructive analysis of obsidian and fine-grained basalt artifacts is a very viable characterization method. • In addition to obsidian, what kind of other lithic materials can be characterized using XRF analysis? • Does XRF analysis make samples radioactive? No. Samples may be safely handled immediately after analysis. • How do you assign sources to the analyzed artifacts? We assign geologic sources to analyzed artifacts by correlating the artifact with sources c
