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Far Western

Far Western

Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc., is a leader in cultural resources management services. Since 1979, Far Western has consulted in archaeological projects for private industry, government agencies, tribal organizations, and non-profit groups, to achieve the broader goals of the environmental review and compliance process.

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You are here: Home / X-ray Fluorescence Sourcing

X-ray Fluorescence Sourcing

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Far Western now offers X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) trace element analysis, using Bruker Tracer III SD portable XRF instruments. We focus on identification of geochemical signatures for determining geological provenance, or source location, for archaeological toolstones. We maintain an extensive source library of obsidian and fine-grained volcanic rocks from the western United States, along with USGS geologic standards, to provide calibration. Far Western is committed to providing high-quality, reproducible, and publishable-quality results, following strict methodological protocols to ensure that our results are both precise and accurate.

Methods

Trace-element concentrations for the elements managanese, iron, zinc, rubidium, strontium, yttrium, zirconium, and niobium are generated with the MURR-2 matrix-specific calibration, developed by Bruker Elemental in collaboration with the University of Missouri Research Reactor or MURR (Glascock and Ferguson 2012; Speakman 2012). This factory-installed calibration is based on analysis of 40 samples of unmodified obsidian and fine-grained volcanic rock from around the world, chosen by Bruker and MURR to represent the range of trace-element concentrations known to occur in these materials. As in traditional full-sized or desktop instruments, source assignments may be made for artifacts as thin, or in some cases thinner than, 1.5 millimeters. For inter-lab consistency, we report independently measured trace-element concentrations with standard deviations for RGM-2, a USGS international rock standard.

2022              

Reproducibility and Validity of Portable ED-XRF Instruments: A Comparison of Spectral and Quantitative Results from Belizean and Ethiopian Obsidian. In Advances in Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. Royal Society of Chemistry. Edited by B. Lee Drake. With B. Lee Drake, Steven A. Brandt, Keith Prufer, and Arlen F. Chase

2022   

Very Small Rocks: Exploring Artifact Size Limits in Trace-Element Analysis of Obsidian Flaked Stone with Portable XRF. Paper presented at the 2022 SAA in Chicago with M. Kathy Davis, Daron Duke, and Kyle P. Freund.

2021   

Evaluating Obsidian Calibration Sets with Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) Instruments. Journal of Archaeological Reports 39. With Jefferey R. Ferguson, Kyle P. Freund, Lee Drake, and Daron Duke

2020

Handheld ED-XRF Analysis of Obsidian from the Classic Maya City of Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico. IAOS Bulletin No. 64. With Lisa M. Johnson, Jordon Kobylt and Cheyenne Laux.

2018   

Examining Portable Tracer Laboratory ED-XRF Inter-Instrument Variation: A Collaborative Project Using a Large Assemblage from the Great Basin. With Daron Duke, Bruce Kaiser, Jennifer DeGraffenried, and Nate Nelson. Poster presented at the 83rd Annual Meeting Society for American Archaeology, Washington, D.C.

Under review  

A Revised Method for Confidently Sourcing Small Obsidian Artifacts. With Kyle P. Freund, M. Kathy Davis, and Daron Duke. For the International Obsidian Conference proceedings published through the Archaeological Research Facility.

2013   

A Comparative Study of Multiple Bruker Tracer III Portable XRF Calibrated Instruments using Identical Analytical and Operational Procedures: Implications for Past, Present and Future Obsidian Studies. With Steven A. Brandt and Arlen F. Chase. Paper presented at 78th Annual Meeting Society for American Archaeology, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Glascock, Mike, and Jeff Ferguson

2012

Report on the Analysis of Obsidian Source Samples by Multiple Analytical Methods. University of Missouri Research Reactor, Columbia.

Speakman, Robert J.

2012

Evaluation of Bruker’s Tracer Family Factory Obsidian Calibration for Handheld Portable XRF Studies of Obsidian. Prepared for Bruker AXS, Kennewick, Washington. 

Pricing
  • $30 per sample
  • 2-4 week turnaround
  • Electronic report with data tables
  • $300 minimum charge.

In-field sourcing is also available.  Call ahead to discuss price and schedule. Please contact Lucas Martindale Johnson with any questions. Email lucas@farwestern.com 

Product Example
Far Western XRF Team:

Daron Duke, PhD; Lucas Martindale Johnson, PhD; and Kathy Davis, BA

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CONTACT US TODAY

Main Office - Davis, CA
(530) 756-3941
Bay Area Branch - Sausalito, CA
(415) 413-1450
Desert Branch - Henderson, NV
(702) 982-3691
Great Basin Branch - Carson City, NV
(775) 847-0223

FEATURED

Visualizing Indigenous Persistence during Spanish Colonization of the San Francisco Bay Area

FAR WESTERN NEWS

Vickie Clay awarded the NAA Silver Trowel Lifetime Achievement

May 17, 2023

Archaeology Reveals Past Lives of Bay Area Native Tribe: Phil Gross and Far Western Produce National PBS Documentary

November 8, 2022

Publication of Seven Thousand Years of Native American History in the Sacramento Valley

October 18, 2022

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SPECIAL SERVICES AND EVENTS

X-ray Fluorescence Sourcing
Archaeobotanical Analysis
Occasional Speaker Series
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CONTACT US

Main Office – Davis, CA (530) 756-3941
Bay Area Branch – Sausalito, CA (415) 413-1450
Desert Branch – Henderson, NV (702) 982-3691
Great Basin Branch – Carson City, NV (775) 847-0223

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