The world leader in serving science

Nov. 10, 2015

Precious Metals Testing – with Portable XRF

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Today’s Presenters

Jonathan Margalit

Market Development Manager

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Seth Gold

Vice President

American Jewelry & Loan

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Webinar Overview

• Introduction and Fun Facts

• Precious Metal Jewelry

• Gold Testing Methods

• Thermo ScientificTM NitonTM AuDITOR

• Conclusions and Q&A

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We Are The World Leader in Serving Science

Premier Brands

• 50,000 employees in 50 countries

• $17 billion in annual revenues

• Unparalleled commercial reach

Unmatched Depth

• Leading innovative technologies

• Applications expertise

• Lab productivity partner

Global Scale

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Goldfinger Was Wrong!

• The world’s largest

stockpile of gold is NOT

in Fort Knox.

• It’s in the NY Federal

Reserve, holding 25% of

the world's reserve.

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Thinner Than a Human Hair

The visor of an astronaut’s space helmet receives 0.00005 millimeters

gold coating -- that’s 500 times thinner than a human hair!

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What are Precious Metals Anyway?

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• Gold jewelry comes in hundreds of alloy

types

Yellow, white, red gold are most common

Silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) are most common

alloying alloys

Types of Gold Jewelry

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold

• Jewelry is the most pawned item in the world

Gold, silver, diamond, gems, pearls

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Gold Jewelry – Karat Terminology

Not to be confused with the “carat” unit used to describe

the weight of diamonds: 1 carat = 200 mg

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Gold Testing Methods – The Biting Test …. Ouch!

Pro -- easy to use, affordable Con -- …. !!

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• Determines the approximate concentration of gold

• Scratch a jewelry item on a testing stone and apply a series of acids to the

scratch residue

Acids test to the nearest karat (typically 10, 14, 18, and 22)

Gold Testing Methods – Acid / Scratch Test

Inexpensive and easy to obtain

Can be fooled by resistant materials

Semi-quantitative and subjective

Does not report the actual gold amount

Is it 14k gold or not?

Harmful -- can burn / blister skin

Destructive

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Semi-quantitative

• At gold price = $1,200/oz

• Value of a 25 gram chain

10K = $402

14K = $563

18K = $724

22K = $885

• Every 4k represents $161 in value

Can be fooled by stainless steels

• Necklace below has an engraving “0.750”

(equivalent to 18 karat)

• Passed as white gold

• Real composition? Not a spec of gold!

• What is it? stainless steel

(Fe=71.90, Cr=12.71, Mn=8.70, Ni=4.29, Cu=2.37)

The Problem with the Acid Test

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Semi-quantitative

• At gold price = $1,200/oz

• Value of a 25 gram chain

10K = $402

14K = $563

18K = $724

22K = $885

• Every 4k represents $161 in value

Can be fooled by stainless steels

• Necklace below has an engraving “0.750”

(equivalent to 18 karat)

• Passed as white gold

• Real composition? Not a spec of gold!

• What is it? stainless steel

(Fe=71.90, Cr=12.71, Mn=8.70, Ni=4.29, Cu=2.37)

The Problem with the Acid Test

*Assumptions: Gold @ $1,150/oz., necklace weighs 25 grams

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• Gold content determined by electrical conductivity

• Cost ≈ $150-$800; non destructive

• Limited gold-plating detection capability

• Restricted to 2-3 elements

• Requires calibration and cleaning of the sensor tip

• Operation outside of optimal range may decrease accuracy

Gold Testing Methods – Electronic Testers

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• XRF = X-Ray Fluorescence

• Surface technology for elemental analysis

• Sophisticated method in an incredibly easy-to-use interface

Light weight and rugged

Portable

Instant, actionable data for quick decision making

Near lab accuracy

Multi-element analysis

Non-destructive

Gold Testing Methods – Portable XRF

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How Does Portable XRF Work?

1. Primary x-ray ejects K-shell electron

2. Electrons from higher shells fill in the gaps

3. Differential energy state is released as fluorescence x-rays (element-specific)

4. The x-ray energies are analyzed and compared with a built-in alloy library

5. Output: - Spectra - Positive grade identification - Elemental composition - Match level (0-4)

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• A common method to determine the purity of gold artifacts

• Consists of a complex, multi-step chemical process, which separates

gold from the rest

Requires the storage, usage, and

disposal of harsh chemicals

A destructive method

Capable of detecting only a few

precious metals (typically gold)

Very accurate, IF and ONLY IF,

done correctly!

XRF vs the Gold Standard Method -- Fire Assay

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Precious Metals XRF Analyzers: Options

Same analytical performance.

Both backed by comprehensive service & maintenance programs.

• Elegant retail design

• Windows keep jewelry in sight

• Built-in camera & Small Spot

• Ultimate in portability

• Tests any size object

• Comes with test stand

Handheld Desktop

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AuDIT Thermo Scientific Au Detection &

Identification Technology

Patented

Only from Thermo Fisher Scientific

Immediately identify gold-plated jewelry

of light-to-medium thickness

Gold Plating Detection with Niton XRF Analyzers

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Niton AuDITOR Payback Calculator

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Certification and Leasing Programs

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• Jewelry is the most pawned item in the world

• Precious metals jewelry includes gold, silver, and platinum

• The need to determine accurately the gold content in jewelry and other

artifacts is greater than ever

• There are several commercial methods used to measure the content of

gold and other precious metals

• Portable XRF is a cost-effective, accurate, non-destructive, and user-

friendly method

Summary and Conclusion

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Thank You!

For more information, visit

www.thermoscientific.com/portableid

Or contact Jonathan Margalit @

jonathan.margalit@thermofisher.com

1-978-215-1649 or 1-800-875-1578