Determination of gold in silicate rocks and ores by coprecipitation with tellurium and neutron activation—γ-spectrometry

Abstract

The method described for determining ultra-trace levels of gold in geological materials and water samples involves the coprecipitation of gold with elemental tellurium followed by neutron activation of the precipitate. Gold-198 is measured, with detection and determination limits of 0.7 and 2.3 ng Au g −1, respectively. The main interferences in the γ-spectrum are due to tellurium, iodine, and bromine, all of which were significantly reduced by evaporation without the loss of gold. The method also collects palladium and rhodium quantitatively.