Laboratory Procedures

Metallurgical Plant Sampling Techniques

Concentrator Slurry Sampling In milling operations sampling is essential to proper control. This can only be based on the results obtained through sampling the various materials throughout a plant. Sampling of the feed, concentrates, tailings and other products give data indicating the effectiveness of the entire operation. Often these results are desired for comparative purposes for each … Read more

Neutron Activation Analysis for Silver

Gold values in the surveyed sulfide-poor rock units proved to be generally even lower than those in sulfidic sandstone. As a further check on this survey of mineralization, silver values began to be measured by NAA on the silver-gold beads. Radioactivity induced in silver by neutron bombardment is long-lived. The half-life of 110mAg is 253 … Read more

Gold Parting Process

The thin sheet of metal is dropped into hot dilute nitric acid and boiled for five or six minutes after the brisk action of the acid on the metal has ceased. At this stage nearly all the silver has gone into solution as nitrate of silver and the acid is charged with this salt. This … Read more

Determine Gold Content By the Microscope

The use of the microscope also is a real advantage in estimating the weights of minute buttons of gold where there is no undue risk in sampling, and where an error of say 1 in 20 on the quantity of gold is tolerable. For ores with copper, lead, zinc, &c., as well as for tailings … Read more

CUPELLATION & Silver Assaying 

The process is as follows:—The cupels, which should have been made some time before and stored in a dry place, are first cleaned by gentle rubbing with the finger and blowing off the loose dust; and then placed in a hot muffle and heated to redness for from 5 to 10 minutes before the alloy … Read more

Assaying Lead Determination Method Pb

The chief ore of lead is galena, a sulphide of lead, common in most mining districts, and frequently associated with blende and copper-pyrites. It always carries more or less silver; so that in the assay of the ore a silver determination is always necessary. Carbonate (cerussite), sulphate (anglesite), and phosphate (pyromorphite) of lead also occur … Read more

Assaying Antimony Determination Method

Antimony occurs in the native state, but is rare; its common ore is antimonite, the sulphide (Sb2S8). Jamesonite and other sulphides of lead and antimony are frequently met with. Sulphide of antimony is also a constituent of fahlerz and of many silver ores. Antimonite occurs generally in fibrous masses, has a lead-like metallic lustre, is … Read more

Assaying Bismuth Determination Method

Bismuth is nearly always found in nature in the metallic state; but occasionally it is met with as sulphide in bismuthine and as carbonate in bismutite. It is also found in some comparatively rare minerals, such as tetradymite, combined with tellurium, and associated with gold. In minute quantities it is widely distributed: it is a … Read more

Assaying Thallium Determination Method

Thallium is a rare metal, found in small quantities in some varieties of iron and copper pyrites, and in some lithia micas. It resembles lead in appearance. Its compounds resemble the salts of the alkalies in some respects; and, in others, those of the heavy metals. It is detected by the green colour which its … Read more

Assaying Cadmium Determination Methods

Cadmium occurs in nature as cadmium sulphide in greenockite, CdS, which is very rare. It is widely diffused in calamine, blende, and other zinc ores, forming, in some cases, as much as 2 or 3 per cent, of the ore. Oxide of cadmium forms the “ brown blaze ” of the zinc smelters. Sulphide of … Read more