Geochemistry Guide 2026

Multi-acid (four acid) digestion packages GO_ICP42C100 MULTI-ACID DIGESTION PACKAGE / ICP-OES OR GO_ICP46C100 MULTI-ACID DIGESTION PACKAGE / FUSION / ICP-OES Ag ≥ 2 ppm Cu ≥ 5 ppm Pb ≥ 20 ppm AI* ≥ 100 ppm Fe ≥ 100 ppm Sb* ≥ 10 ppm As* ≥ 30 ppm K* ≥ 20 ppm Se ≥ 30 ppm Ba* ≥ 2 ppm Li ≥ 10 ppm Sn* ≥ 20 ppm Be ≥ 0.05 ppm Mg* ≥ 40 ppm Sr ≥ 1 ppm Bi ≥ 20 ppm Mn ≥ 5 ppm Ti * ≥ 5ppm Ca* ≥ 100 ppm Mo ≥ 5 ppm TI ≥ 30 ppm Cd ≥ 2 ppm Na ≥ 100 ppm V ≥ 2 ppm Co ≥ 4 ppm Ni ≥ 20 ppm Y ≥ 0.5 ppm Cr* ≥ 10 ppm P ≥ 30 ppm Zn ≥ 10 ppm

Additional single analytes CODE

ANALYTES

LIMITS

DESCRIPTION

MIN. SAMPLE WT.(g)

1 2

GC_CLA04V GC_CLA03V

Insolubles (acid)

≥ 0.05%

Gravimetric Available lime

CaO

≥ 5%

0.25

GC_CVA38B50

Hg

≥ 0.3 ppm

Cold vapour AAS

GC_ISE10V

pH (soils/sediments)

0.1 - 14

Ion selective electrode 20

SGS can analyze a number of individual ore-grade elements.

Volumetric and gravimetric methods for concentrates CODE ELEMENT

LIMIT(S)

DESCRIPTION

MIN. SAMPLE WT.(g)

Cu Cu

Titration

0.25

GC_CON13V GC_CON03V GC_CON07V GC_CON11V GC_CON12V GC_CON08V

15 - 60% 5 - 95% 5 - 95% 1 0 - 80% 1 0 - 80% 10 - 95%

Electroplating Electroplating

1.0 1.0 2.0 0.5

Additional elements can be added. An ICP-MS option may be available locally. *Recovery can be incomplete so analysis can be biased low.

Ni

Pb Zn

Titration Titration Titration

Fusion packages

Fe 0.25 These elements can be analyzed to party or umpire quality standards (GT). Additional elements can be determined on concentrate samples in some SGS laboratories. Trade sample analyzes typically require moisture analysis and may require a larger minimum sample weight.

GC_ICP93A50V FUSION / ICP-OES PACKAGE Ag > 200 ppm - 0.1

Fe

> 800 ppm > 400 ppm

> 0.05% > 0.04%

Sn Sb

K

AI

> 0.04%

Process solution packages

Li

As Ba

> 1,200 ppm

> 800 ppm > 0.003% > 0.002% > 300 ppm > 300 ppm > 800 ppm > 400 ppm > 2,000 ppm

Se > 2,000 ppm

Mg Mn Mo

> 800 ppm > 10 ppm

> 3 ppm

Sn

Be > 3 ppm

Sr Ti TI

GC_ICP84T PROCESS SOLUTION PACKAGE / ICP-OES / NON-CYANIDE BASED Ag ≥ 0.08 ppm Fe ≥ 0.2 ppm

> 0.02%

Bi

> 400 ppm > 40 ppm > 200 ppm > 200 ppm > 40 ppm

Sb Se Sn

≥ 1 ppm ≥ 1 ppm

Ni

Cd Co

> 2,000 ppm

K

AI

≥ 0.2 ppm ≥ 0.5 ppm

≥ 1 ppm

Pb Sb Se

V

> 80 ppm

Li

As Ba Be

≥ 0.5 ppm ≥ 0.07 ppm ≥ 0.04 ppm ≥ 0.1 ppm

≥ 0.5 ppm

Cr

Y > 8 ppm Zn > 300 ppm

Mg Mn Mo

≥ 0.007 ppm ≥ 0.002 ppm

Sr Ti TI

≥ 0.002 ppm ≥ 0.02 ppm

Cu

Additional elements can be added.

Bi

≥ 1 ppm

≥ 3 ppm

Na

Ca Co

≥ 0.9 ppm ≥ 0.05 ppm ≥ 0.3 ppm ≥ 0.1 ppm

≥ 2 ppm

V Y

≥ 0.2 ppm ≥ 0.02 ppm ≥ 0.5 ppm

GC_AAS93A50V FUSION / AAS AI ≥ 0.02%

Ni

≥ 0.5 ppm

Sn

Mg Mn

≥ 0.005% ≥ 0.005% ≥ 0.01% ≥ 0.07%

≥ 0.05% ≥ 0.05% ≥ 0.1%

P

Cr

≥ 5 ppm

Zn

Cr

≥ 0.005% ≥ 0.002%

Ti

Cu ≥ 0.5 ppm Additional elements can be added. ICP-MS option may be available locally. Pb

Cu Fe

Ni Si

V

≥ 0.07% ≥ 0.001% Additional elements can be added. An ICP-MS option is available. Concentrate samples containing greater than 50% of the target element can require alternative analytical methods. Zn

GC_ICP82T PROCESS SOLUTION PACKAGE / ICP-OES / CYANIDE BASED Ag ≥ 0.08 ppm Cu ≥ 0.1 ppm

Pb Sb Se Sn

≥ 2 ppm ≥ 1 ppm ≥ 3 ppm ≥ 2 ppm

Fe

AI

≥ 0.2 ppm

≥ 0.2 ppm

Fusion / XRF process control-grade packages CODE

K

As Ba Be

≥ 3 ppm

≥ 1 ppm ≥ 2 ppm

ELEMENTS/LIMIT(S)

DESCRIPTION

Li

≥ 0.007 ppm ≥ 0.002 ppm

GC_XRF72

Same available range and elements as GO_XRF72, refer to ore grade analysis section Same available range and elements as GO_XRF70V, refer to ore grade section

Borate fusion / XRF

Mg ≥ 0.07 ppm Mn ≥ 0.04 ppm Mo ≥ 0.6 ppm

Sr Ti TI

≥ 0.002 ppm ≥ 0.02 ppm

Bi

≥ 1 ppm

GC_XRF70V

Pyrosulphate fusion / XRF

Ca Cd Co

≥ 0.9 ppm ≥ 0.09 ppm ≥ 0.03 ppm ≥ 0.1 ppm

≥ 3 ppm

Na

≥ 2 ppm

V Y

≥ 0.2 ppm ≥ 0.02 ppm ≥ 0.7 ppm

Individual methods for process control-grade analysis

Ni

≥ 0.6 ppm

P

Cr

≥ 5 ppm

Zn

Sulphur and carbon CODE

Additional elements can be added. ICP-MS option may be available locally.

ELEMENT

LIMIT(S)

DESCRIPTION

MIN. SAMPLE WT (g)

0.1 - 0.3 0.1 - 0.3

GC_CSA06V

S C

≥ 0.01% ≥ 0.01% ≥ 0.01% ≥ 0.2%

IR combustion

2.0

S 2 -

Leach/Digest/IR

GC_CSA08V GC_CLA01V

Fe 2+

Ferrous iron titration 0.25

Single elements can be determined by numerous decomposition techniques and finishes. Please contact your SGS customer service agent

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