Geochemistry Trace
Single-element trace determinations of copper, lead, zinc, and silver by four-acid digestion with AA finish — plus a water-and-solutions package — for programs that need specific pathfinders rather than a full scan.
A 0.5 g split is digested in nitric, perchloric, hydrofluoric, and hydrochloric acids — the four-acid attack that breaks down silicates as well as sulphides — heated gradually in a water bath, made to volume, and read element by element on atomic absorption. Racks of 24 carry a blank and a CANMET certified standard every run.
The digestion is partial for some resistant mineral species, which is worth keeping in mind when interpreting results from unusual matrices, and once mineralization reaches percent level the ore grade assay is the better tool. A companion package for waters and solutions — pH plus dissolved copper, iron, lead, and zinc by AA — covers monitoring wells, drainage, and process solutions.
Trace geochemistry — multi-acid digestion
| Element | Range |
|---|---|
| Cu | 1–10,000 ppm |
| Pb | 1–10,000 ppm |
| Ag | 0.2–6.0 ppm |
| Zn | 1–10,000 ppm |
Reporting ranges by partial four-acid digestion with an AA finish, run per element. Additional elements are available on request; only elements with confirmed limits are listed.
Water & solutions — AA finish
| Analyte | Lower detection limit |
|---|---|
| pH | N/A |
| Cu | 0.01 ppm |
| Fe | 0.01 ppm |
| Pb | 0.01 ppm |
| Zn | 0.01 ppm |
Dissolved metals and pH on water and solution samples. pH is measured by meter; metals are read by atomic absorption.