Handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyser detecting and measuring the amount of metal contaminants in a sample of soil on agricultural land. XRF analysis is a non-destructive technique used to measure the elemental composition of materials, through the excitation and emission of electrons. This technique is useful for detecting harmful metal contaminants in soil such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. Handheld XRF analysers provide an efficient and timely analysis of soil composition, without the need to send samples to a laboratory. Once a contaminant has been identified, a land owner can choose not to use the land or address the problem with a remedial activity.