A metallurgical assay is a compositional analysis of an ore, metal, or alloy, usually performed in order to test for purity or quality
A metallurgical assay is a compositional analysis of an ore, metal, or alloy, usually performed in order to test for purity or quality lx2AK
A metallurgical assay is a compositional analysis of an ore, metal, or alloy, usually performed in order to test for purity or quality.
Some assay methods are suitable for raw materials; others are more appropriate for finished goods. Raw precious metals (bullion) are assayed by an assay office. Silver is assayed by titration, gold by cupellation and platinum by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). [1][2] Precious metal items of art or jewelry are frequently hallmarked (depending upon the requirements of the laws of either the place of manufacture or the place of import). Where required to be hallmarked, semi-finished precious metal items of art or jewelry pass through the official testing channels where they are analyzed or assayed for precious metal content. While different nations permit a variety of legally acceptable finenesses, the assayer is actually testing to determine that the fineness of the product conforms with the statement or claim of fineness that the maker has claimed (usually by stamping a number such as 750 for 18k gold) on the item. In the past the assay was conducted by using the touchstone method but currently (most often) it is done using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). XRF is used because this method is more exacting than the touchstone test. The most exact method of assay is known as fire assay or cupellation. This method is better suited for the assay of bullion and gold stocks rather than works of art or jewelry because it is a completely destructive method
A metallurgical assay is a compositional analysis of an ore,
metal
, or alloy,
usually
performed in order to
test
for purity or quality.
Some
assay
methods
are suitable for raw materials; others are more appropriate for finished
goods
. Raw precious
metals
(bullion)
are assayed
by an assay office. Silver
is assayed
by titration, gold by
cupellation
and platinum by
inductively
coupled plasma optical emission
spectrometry
(ICP
OES
). [1][2] Precious
metal
items of art or jewelry are
frequently
hallmarked (depending upon the requirements of the laws of either the place of manufacture or the place of import). Where required to
be hallmarked
, semi-finished precious
metal
items of art or jewelry pass through the official testing channels where they
are analyzed
or assayed for precious
metal
content. While
different
nations permit a variety of
legally
acceptable
finenesses
, the assayer is actually testing to determine that the fineness of the product conforms with the statement or claim of fineness that the maker has claimed (
usually
by stamping a number such as 750 for 18k gold) on the item. In the past the assay
was conducted
by using the touchstone
method
but
currently
(most
often
) it
is done
using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). XRF is
used
because
this
method
is more exacting than the touchstone
test
. The most exact
method
of assay
is known
as fire assay or
cupellation
. This
method
is better suited for the assay of bullion and gold stocks
rather
than works of art or jewelry
because
it is a completely destructive
method
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