An abbreviated fire-assay atomic-absorption method for the determination of gold and silver in ores and concentrates.

A simplified scheme, combining aspects of the classical fire-assay with an atomic-absorption finish, is presented for the determination of gold and silver in ores and concentrates. The lead assay button is scorified to approximately 2 g and then parted in nitric acid. The filtrate is analysed by AAS for silver; the residue is dissolved in aqua regia and subsequently analysed for gold by AAS. The precision and accuracy of the method have been established by application to four diverse certified reference materials. The proposed method eliminates the need for such time-consuming steps as inquartation, multiple scorifications, and cupellation.