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Analytical Services

Hoover and Strong now offers analytical services to our customers. We use a variety of analytical techniques depending on your budget, timescale, the elements to be determined and what accuracy you require.

 

XRF: This non-destructive technique is called X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and the results give an approximate concentration of elements present in the minimum turnaround time. The technique gives the most accurate results from smooth flat homogenous samples. This technique is excellent for qualitative analysis – when you need to know if an element is present in a sample but do not need an accurate determination of how much is there. Our XRF spectrometer will not determine elements lighter than aluminum.

Accuracy: ± 0.1% for gold. All other metals ± 0.5%, but this is dependent on sample quality and homogeneity.

Cost: $25 per sample

Turnaround: one working day from receipt of sample.

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FIRE ASSAY: This is the oldest and arguably is still the most accurate technique for determining gold content. A small amount of your sample goes through a thermal and chemical process to determine gold content. Samples must be homogenous for this technique.

Accuracy: 0.01% and greater.

Cost: $50 per sample.

Turnaround: two working days from receipt of sample.

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ICP: This technique is called inductively coupled plasma discharge spectrometry. This test can detect multiple elements in a sample and give their concentrations very accurately; however the process takes much longer than the previous two techniques. Single and multiple element analyses are available. This is the test to use if you need to determine the concentration of trace amounts of impurity in a sample.

Accuracy: parts per million

Cost: $75 for a single element up to $275 for multiple elements per sample.

Turnaround: 1 – 2 weeks from receipt of sample.

Samples submitted for analysis need to be in solid form and homogenous for accurate results. A melt charge of $100 will be levied if this is necessary for the analysis.