Carbon and Sulfur Determination in Limestone/Dolomite (CS844)

Importance of the Topic

Limestone and dolomite are among the most widely used sedimentary rocks in construction, agriculture, environmental control and industrial processes. Accurate determination of total carbon and sulfur content is essential for quality control, ensuring purity and performance of these materials in applications such as cement production, flue gas desulfurization and acid neutralization.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note describes a robust procedure for quantifying total carbon and sulfur in limestone and dolomite samples using an induction furnace combustion method. The study aims to demonstrate sample preparation, calibration, analysis parameters and data quality achievable on the LECO CS844 Series instrument.

Methodology

Samples are ground to a uniform fine powder to ensure representative combustion. The analysis involves four main steps:

• Blank determination using iron powder, vanadium pentoxide accelerator and LECOCEL flux
• Calibration and drift correction with certified reference materials (e.g., LECO LCRM standards, NIST SRM 1d)
• Sample analysis under controlled furnace conditions
• Quantification of CO2 and SO2 evolved, converting detector signals to weight percent carbon and sulfur

The furnace operates in a constant power mode with defined purge and integration times to optimize precision and minimize interference.

Instrument Used

The CS844 Series combines a high-efficiency induction furnace, heated dust filter and dual-range infrared detectors. Key accessories include preheated ceramic crucibles, iron powder, V2O5 accelerator and LECOCEL flux.

Results and Discussion

Typical results for a dolomite sample show an average carbon content of 12.58 % (s = 0.01 %) and sulfur content of 0.021 % (s < 0.001 %). Calibration materials yielded precision within ±0.03 % for carbon and ±0.002 % for sulfur. Data demonstrate excellent repeatability and linearity over the concentration ranges relevant to commercial limestone and dolomite.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Fast throughput and minimal sample preparation
• High accuracy and precision for QA/QC in mining and materials production
• Reliable performance for regulatory compliance in environmental monitoring

Future Trends and Applications

Advances may include fully automated sample handling, real-time data analysis using machine learning, enhanced detector technologies for lower detection limits and integration with process control systems for continuous monitoring in industrial plants.

Conclusion

The described method using the LECO CS844 Series provides a dependable, high-precision approach for total carbon and sulfur determination in limestone and dolomite. Its robust calibration, simple workflow and rapid analysis support diverse industrial quality control needs.

References

• LECO Corporation. Application Note Form No. 203-821-544, Saint Joseph, MI, 2017.