Determination of Au, Pd, and Pt in copper ores and concentrates by GFAAS and ICP-OES

A method has been developed for the determination of Au, Pd,, and Pt in cop per ores and concentrates by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometr y (GFAAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP -OES). The method involves the decomposition of samples by aqua regia diges tion, followed by Hg/Hg2Cl2 precipitation, to collect Au, Pd, and Pt, and t he measurement of these metals by GFAAS and ICP-OES. The method has been ap plied to three international standard samples (CCRMP), PTC-1, PTM-1,. and P TM-1a and the results agreed well with the recommended values. The method i s very useful for the determination of platinum-group elements in copper-ri ch samples as the Fire Assay method cannot be applied. to these types of sa mples.