A spectrochemical method for determining the composition of native gold

The spectrochemical method described herein for determining trace, minor, and major element distribution in native gold is applicable over a wide range of particle sizes and over a very large concentration range. The matrices of samples and standards are very closely matched. The method was tested on 100 nuggets from a gold sample collected in Alaska. The data show that the method is adequate for 30 of the 31 elements checked; only the mercury values are not acceptable. The data also show that more than one sample is necessary for a complete evaluation of all elements in one geologic location.