Trace elements in the Monterey Formation: Evaluating Critical Mineral Enrichment and Oil & Gas Indicators with ICP-MS-QQQ
The Monterey Formation is a geochemically complex shale unit rich in organic matter and siliceous components. These characteristics make it both an important petroleum source rock and a potential host for trace metal enrichments. However, this same complexity creates analytical challenges for conventional ICP-MS techniques due to matrix suppression, high dissolved solids, and formation of oxide and polyatomic interferences.
This project develops a solution-based triple-quadrupole ICP-MS method designed to accurately quantify trace metals and rare earth elements (REEs) in Monterey shale following HF microwave digestion. By applying a multi-mode collision/reaction cell (No Gas, He, H₂, and O₂ mass shift), the method reduces interferences and improves analytical confidence for a broad suite of geological indicators, including redox-sensitive metals, detrital markers, productivity proxies, and REE patterns.
Our goal is to produce a reliable geochemical dataset that supports the interpretation of potential critical mineral enrichment in the Monterey Formation.