Atomic absorption has been utilized in the analysis of such materials as blood serum, soils, plant materials, and sea water. However, the application of atomic absorption to rock mineral analyses has not been adequately investigated. This paper reports on a preliminary investigation of the suitability of atomic absorption for rock and mineral analyses. The results summarize data obtained from approximately 3500 individual element determinations on more than 400 samples of various rock and mineral types. This work required approximately four months of analytical time.