Extraction–atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of the platinum group elements and gold in copper–nickel ores using an autoclave sample decomposition technique

Abstract

An ETAAS method was developed to determine the platinum group elements and gold in copper–nickel ores using a single sample. It is based on an approach involving interconnected consideration of the main components of analytical procedure (autoclave decomposition of sample; collective extractive preconcentration of metals with a mixture of alkylaniline hydrochloride and petroleum sulfides; and atomic absorption spectrometric analysis of the extract). The concentrations of elements determined in standard reference materials (lode and impregnation copper–nickel sulfide ores) were found to be in accordance with the certified values, within experimental error. The relative standard deviation varied between 2 and 17% at 0.05–10 mg kg^–1 element concentrations. The determination limits were 0.001–0.06 mg kg^–1 for a 5 g sample and an extract volume of 5 ml.