World Precious Metals Speeds to Success with Thermo Scientific Niton XRF Analyzers

Importance of the topic

Precise and rapid determination of precious metal purity is essential for businesses dealing in gold, silver and other high-value alloys. Traditional wet-chemical methods are slow, hazardous and destructive to samples, limiting throughput and posing safety risks.

Objectives and study overview

The case study at World Precious Metals aimed to replace acid-based karat testing with a faster, non-destructive alternative. Key goals included increasing sample throughput, enhancing safety, and maintaining accuracy comparable to fire assay.

Methodology and instrumentation

World Precious Metals adopted handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis using Thermo Scientific Niton XL3t and the later XL2 precious metal analyzers. Each measurement requires a single step with results available in seconds. Multiple readings across different sample areas enable detection of plating or alloy inhomogeneity.

Main results and discussion

Since the initial deployment in 2009, the company expanded its fleet to ten XRF analyzers. The switch eliminated acid use entirely and tripled the volume of daily assays. Spot checks on watches or jewelry parts showing variable karat readings trigger confirmatory acid tests, ensuring reliability.

Benefits and practical applications

• Non-destructive testing preserves sample integrity
• Speed of analysis increases daily assay capacity up to threefold
• Improved operator safety by removing hazardous acids
• Simplicity and portability enable onsite testing at multiple facilities
• Comparable accuracy to traditional fire and acid assays

Future trends and applications

• Integration with digital data management and remote reporting
• Expansion to emerging precious metal markets and recycling streams
• Advances in small-spot analysis and deeper layer profiling
• Machine learning algorithms for automated spectrum interpretation

Conclusion

Handheld XRF analyzers have proven transformative for World Precious Metals, delivering rapid, accurate and safe precious metal assays. This technology offers a compelling alternative to wet chemistry for laboratories and field operations in the precious metals sector.