Small Scale Aqua Regia Digest
This digest utilises Aqua Regia (a mixture of Hydrochloric and Nitric acids) to bring the sample into solution. However, not all minerals will be attacked. This procedure provides a cost effective method for determining trace elements in sulphides and iron rich material. Unless sample sizes are small, this technique is not recommended for Gold analysis because of the small sample weight taken (4 gram). Although this is not a total digest, the refractory elements are included since they may be useful for element profiling purposes.
Detection Limits by ICP-OES (Method Code : AR105)
| Ag (1 ppm) |  Al (10 ppm) |
As (5 ppm) |
Ba (0.5 ppm) |
Be (1 ppm) |
| Ca (10 ppm) | Cd (1 ppm) |
Co (2 ppm) |
Cr (5 ppm) |
Cu (0.5 ppm) |
| Fe (10 ppm) | K (20 ppm) |
Li (10 ppm) |
Mg (10 ppm) |
Mn (1 ppm) |
| Mo (2 ppm) | Na (50 ppm) |
Ni (1 ppm) |
P (10 ppm) |
Pb (5 ppm) |
| S (10 ppm) | Sc (0.5 ppm) |
Sr (0.5 ppm) |
Ti (50 ppm) |
V (2 ppm) |
| Y (5 ppm) | Zn (1 ppm) |
Zr (1 ppm) |
Detection Limits by ICP-MS (Method Code : AR305)
| Ag (0.05 ppm) | As (0.2 ppm) |
Ba (0.5 ppm) |
Bi (0.02 ppm) |
Cd (0.1 ppm) |
| Ce (10 ppb) | Co (0.2 ppm) |
Cs (20 ppb) |
Cu (0.5 ppm) |
Dy (10 ppm) |
| Er (10 ppb) | Eu (2 ppb) |
Ga (0.2 ppm) |
Gd (0.05 ppb) |
Hg (0.01 ppm) |
| Ho (5 ppb) | In (5 ppb) |
La (10 ppb) |
Li (0.1 ppm) |
Lu (5 ppb) |
| Mo (0.05 ppm) | Ni (1 ppm) |
Nd (10 ppb) |
Pb (1 ppm) |
Pr (5 ppb) |
| Pt (5 ppb) | Rb (0.02 ppm) |
Sb (0.02 ppm) |
Sc (0.5 ppm) |
Se (1 ppm) |
| Sm (10 ppb) | Sn (0.2 ppm) |
Sr (0.1 ppm) |
Tb (5 ppb) |
Te (0.1 ppm) |
| Th (10 ppb) | Tl (10 ppb) |
Tm (5 ppb) |
U (10 ppb) |
W (0.1 ppm) |
| Y (10 ppb) | Yb (10 ppb) |
Zn (1 ppm) |