Handheld XRF can be used with almost any sample preparation technique borrowed from the laboratory – or no sample preparation at all.  Most HHXRF users think of their analyzer as a point-and-shoot device, needing little to no sample preparation and giving limited analytical data.  HHXRF is far more versatile than is usually assumed, and can be used to your benefit on samples that have been ground, powdered, even fused into “beads.”  We will review the various categories of sample prep techniques, the reasons why you may or may not want to use them, and the benefits and drawbacks to each, all from the perspective of users of HHXRF.