The determination of the content of gold and silver in geological samples

Abstract

Amethod has been elaborated for the determination of the content of gold and silver in geological samples by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) in combination with the fire assay method. The weight of sample used for analysis was 10 g. Sulphur present as sulphide, which is an undesirable element in smelting, was removed by the addition of iron to the charge. The sample was smelted with fluxes and lead oxide to replace the silver and gold by lead and to transfer non-precious elements to slag. Lead was separated from precious metals by cupellation. The separated silver and gold alloy was dissolved with aqua regia with addition of hydrochloric acid in excess. Silver and gold were determined from the same solution. For determination of the silver content, the AAS method with an air-acetylene flamewas used. Goldwas determined in a graphite furnace with the addition of a matrix modifier in an argon current, at an atomization temperature of t = 2200 ºC. The lower determination limit for silver was 0.05 g/t and for gold 0.005 g/t. The results of the analysis for silver and gold obtained with the proposed method showed good agreement with the results of the analysis of the same samples with the fire assay method.

Keywords

• geological sample
• gold
• silver
• fire assay
• atomic absorption
• air-acetyleneflame
• graphite furnace