Trace determination of platinum-II. Analysis in ores by pulse polarography after fire-assay collection.

A pulse-polarography method is described for the determination of traces of platinum in ores after fire-assay separation and preconcentration. The silver bead from the fire assay is dissolved and treated with ammonia and ethylenediamine to produce a sensitive catalytic polarographic wave. Measurement of the wave by differential pulse polarography allows determination of Pt with a detection limit of 0.0025 ppm. Platinum in ore samples was determined in the range 0.1-0.9 ppm and a correlation coefficient of 0.98 was obtained on comparison with AAS results.