My assay prill weighs less

[Dirtdiggaler]

My assay bead weighs less on a milligram scale than the book say's the bead should weigh if it's 100% gold. I hammered the prill flat and parted it in hot nitric then anneald the bead on a cuppel two seprate times. The assay book say's the size of the prill with a comparator should be 35 milligrams and my assay scale shows it at 24 milligrams. Im new to assaying and mining and would appreciate any help I can get. thank you

 

[goldsilverpro]

My assay bead weighs less on a milligram scale than the book say's the bead should weigh if it's 100% gold. I hammered the prill flat and parted it in hot nitric then anneald the bead on a cuppel two seprate times. The assay book say's the size of the prill with a comparator should be 35 milligrams and my assay scale shows it at 24 milligrams. Im new to assaying and mining and would appreciate any help I can get. thank you

Sounds like Action Mining's system. Measuring the bead with a comparator is a poor substitute for weighing it on an analytical balance. Measuring only puts you in the ballpark.

 

[Dirtdiggaler]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, it is an Action Mining system. I have other prills that after parting weigh almost exactly what the book says; they are gold colored in the microscope. These prills are very rough and grey with a soccer ball pattern. Are there any other metals that won't oxidize in a cuppel and are not soluable in hot nitric ? PGM's are supposed to have those properties but wouldn't they weigh more than gold? I've read that Barium won't oxidize or dissolve in hot nitric, but I don't know anything about it.
Thanks.