Oxide - Carbonate - Element Conversion Table

Updated 13 November 2021

The following table is used when weight based analytical results need to be converted. For example 56.0% CaO might be obtained during a microprobe calcite analysis. The sample is likely to be a carbonate. To convert the oxide to carbonate look at the table below. Find the conversion for CaO and CaCO3 and use the multiplying factor beside CaCO3. The result is 56.0 x 1.7848 = 99.94% CaCO3.

A factor is the sum of the atomic weights of the elements in the required formula divided by the sum of the atomic weights in the original formula.

For example the factor to convert Fe2O3 to 2FeO is 2 x (55.85 + 16)/(55.85 x 2 + 16 x 3) = 0.8998 while the factor to convert 2FeO to Fe2O3 is 1/0.8998 = 1.1113.

An example was recently sent to me which was correct, but there was some uncertainty. An electron microprobe result was Na2O = 0.035%. What would the result be for Na in ppm?

  • Na2O = 0.035 x 1000000 / 100 ppm = 350 ppm.
  • There are two atoms of sodium for each atom of oxygen.
  • The atomic weight of sodium is 22.99 and oxygen is 16.
  • Na = 350 x (22.99 x 2) / (22.99 x 2 +16) = 259.6 ppm
  • O = (350 x 16) / (22.99 x 2 + 16) = 90.35 ppm
  • So Na2O = 259.6 + 90.35 = 350 ppm.
  • This checks the calculation above is good.

Using the table factors:

  • Na2O = 350 ppm.
  • Na = 350 x 0.7419 = 259.7 ppm.
  • O = 350 x (1 - 0.7419) = 90.34 ppm

It would probably help to round the numbers to be comparable to the precision of the original data. A check calculation is always useful.



2.1395 SiO2 Si 0.4674
1.6681 TIO2 Ti 0.5995
1.8893 Al2O3 2Al 0.5293
1.4298 Fe2O3 2Fe 0.6994
1.2865 FeO Fe 0.7773
1.1113 Fe2O3 2FeO 0.8998
1.2912 MnO Mn 0.7745
1.3883 Mn3O4 3Mn 0.7203
1.5825 MnO2 Mn 0.6319
1.6581 MgO Mg 0.6031
1.3992 CaO Ca 0.7147
2.4973 CaCO3 Ca 0.4004
1.7848 CaCO3 CaO 0.5603
1.3479 Na2O 2Na 0.7419
2.3052 Na2CO3 2Na 0.4338
1.7101 Na2CO3 Na2O 0.5848
1.2045 K2O 2K 0.8302
1.7674 K2CO3 2K 0.5658
1.4672 K2CO3 K2O 0.6816
2.2915 P2O5 2P 0.4364
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Atomic Weights

Hydrogen 1.01
Carbon 12.01
Nitrogen 14.01
Oxygen 16.00
Fluorine 19.00
Sodium 22.99
Magnesium 24.31
Aluminium 26.98
Silicon 28.09
Phosphorous 30.97
Sulphur 32.06
Chlorine 35.45
Potassium 39.10
Calcium 40.08
Titanium 47.90
Chromium 52.00
Manganese 54.94
Iron 55.85
Cobalt 58.93
Nickel 58.71
Copper 63.54
Zinc 65.37

Molecular Weights

Al2O3 101.96
CO2 44.01
CaO 56.08
CoO 74.93
Cr2O3 151.99
CuO 79.55
FeO 71.85
Fe2O3 159.69
K2O 94.20
MgO 40.30
MnO 70.94
MnO2 86.94
Mn3O4 228.81
Na2O 61.98
NiO 74.69
P2O5141.94
SO3 80.06
SiO2 60.08
SrO 103.62
TiO2 79.88
ZnO 81.38