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Elemental analysis of Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian organic-rich mudstone cores from Kentucky by portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF)
Files
ORCID(s)
0000-0002-6260-477X
Dataset Origin Date
January 2024 - February 2026
Version
1.0
Version Publication Date:
7-2026
Abstract
This dataset contains high-density portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) elemental analyses of 1,867 m (6,125 ft) of Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian organic-rich mudstone cores from Kentucky. Analyses were collected from cores across the Illinois Basin, Cincinnati Arch, and Appalachian Basin to support regional evaluation of elemental variability, chemostratigraphy, and redox-sensitive trace-metal enrichment in Devonian–Mississippian mudstone successions. All measurements were conducted using a Bruker Tracer 5 pXRF analyzer with the factory “Mudrock Air” calibration, using analytical settings optimized for both low-atomic-number elements and transition metals/redox-sensitive trace elements. Reference materials SARM-41 and SGR-1 were analyzed throughout the analytical sequence to monitor instrument performance, evaluate analytical drift, and assess elemental accuracy. The dataset provides a non-destructive, high-resolution geochemical record that can be used to examine vertical and spatial variations in major and trace-element composition across Kentucky’s organic-rich shale succession and to guide future targeted geochemical, mineralogical, and stratigraphic investigations.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.13023/kgs.data.07.14.2026
File Format(s)
Excel Spreadsheet, .txt, PDF
Note: PDFs are for reference purposes only and may not be accessible to screen reader users.
File Size(s)
Excel Sheet: 3.56 MB
Geographic Coverage
Kentucky
Data Collection Period
January 2024 - February 2026
Data Collection Method(s)
All analyses were conducted using a Bruker Tracer 5 portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyzer and are reported in weight percent. Analytical uncertainty is reported as one standard deviation for each measured element. The shale reference materials SARM-41 and SGR-1 were analyzed throughout the analytical sequence to monitor instrument drift and evaluate elemental accuracy. All analyses were conducted using the factory “Mudrock Air” calibration, which uses two analytical settings: (1) 15 kV with no filter for low-atomic-number elements such as Al, Si, and K, and (2) 50 kV with a Ti/Al filter for transition metals and redox-sensitive trace elements such as V, Mo, and U. Individual measurements consisted of either 60 seconds of live-time acquisition per setting, for a total of 120 seconds per point, or 30 seconds per setting, for a total of 60 seconds per point.
Disciplines
Geology
Originator(s) of Data Set
Alex M. Washburn
Current Point of Contact
Alex M. Washburn
Funding Information
Kentucky Geological Survey
Rights Information
© 2026 University of Kentucky. This dataset is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the dataset creators and source are credited and that changes (if any) are clearly indicated.
Conflict of Interest disclaimer
N/A
Recommended Citation
Washburn, A.M., 2026, Elemental analysis of Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian organic-rich mudstone cores from Kentucky by portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) [ver. 1, 2026-07]: Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 14, research data, https://doi.org/10.13023/kgs.data.07.14.2026
