Osmium/Platinum Ore - Lab analysis inquires & advice on next steps

[Alondro]

Lead is 11.3

I was thinking of tungsten, but typed lead, lol.

The OP would know if it was a block of tungsten, cuz his cutting tools would be dulled.

 

[orvi]

I hear you lol. I do question their method of analysis which I why I would like to to arrange to receive these samples and coordinate another analysis done here in the US. I have a couple potential companies who may take this rock thanks to members of this forum, so I will seek to arrange communication with them.

The story of finding these rocks is definitely intriguing and does more or less align with historical events.

It is very unlikely to find osmium alloy of this composition. What intrigue me is what is the rest of the alloy. Analysis report list only osmium and platinum. But what is the rest ?

Conduct specific gravity test. You have plentiful of the chunks, so this should not be much of a problem - displacement of water would be nice and thus result will be more accurate. If this really contain 56+% of Os, this alloy would be VERY heavy. If rest is base metals, it can be as heavy as 18k gold or such. 15-16g/ml... Apart of tungsten and tantalum, there are not much possibilities how would you achive such high density other than high precious metals content.

It would be very beneficial to know how the analysis was done (NiS, regular fire assay (not likely), XRF, ICP etc.). This will tell us quite a bit. What I would do is let someone perform another kind of test. If this was just XRF, let someone perform ICP. Or fire assay - you know what I mean.

It was discussed here multiple times that mainly low to mid-end XRF machines on Precious Metals mode tend to show completely made up compositions of mainly PGM´s for lighter elements such as arsenic.

I think you can find somebody with good XRF machine much easily than guy who can perform trustworthy and precise fire assay/other type of analysis for metals such as Os Ru or Ir. Let it be shot on general alloy method, PM method and also GeoChem method. To see what machine will spit out.

 

[africangoldbug]

It is very unlikely to find osmium alloy of this composition. What intrigue me is what is the rest of the alloy. Analysis report list only osmium and platinum. But what is the rest ?

Conduct specific gravity test. You have plentiful of the chunks, so this should not be much of a problem - displacement of water would be nice and thus result will be more accurate. If this really contain 56+% of Os, this alloy would be VERY heavy. If rest is base metals, it can be as heavy as 18k gold or such. 15-16g/ml... Apart of tungsten and tantalum, there are not much possibilities how would you achive such high density other than high precious metals content.

It would be very beneficial to know how the analysis was done (NiS, regular fire assay (not likely), XRF, ICP etc.). This will tell us quite a bit. What I would do is let someone perform another kind of test. If this was just XRF, let someone perform ICP. Or fire assay - you know what I mean.

It was discussed here multiple times that mainly low to mid-end XRF machines on Precious Metals mode tend to show completely made up compositions of mainly PGM´s for lighter elements such as arsenic.

I think you can find somebody with good XRF machine much easily than guy who can perform trustworthy and precise fire assay/other type of analysis for metals such as Os Ru or Ir. Let it be shot on general alloy method, PM method and also GeoChem method. To see what machine will spit out.

Thank you so much for the info! I am already arranging another analysis to be done here in the states with a refiner.

 

[africangoldbug]

It is very unlikely to find osmium alloy of this composition. What intrigue me is what is the rest of the alloy. Analysis report list only osmium and platinum. But what is the rest ?

Conduct specific gravity test. You have plentiful of the chunks, so this should not be much of a problem - displacement of water would be nice and thus result will be more accurate. If this really contain 56+% of Os, this alloy would be VERY heavy. If rest is base metals, it can be as heavy as 18k gold or such. 15-16g/ml... Apart of tungsten and tantalum, there are not much possibilities how would you achive such high density other than high precious metals content.

It would be very beneficial to know how the analysis was done (NiS, regular fire assay (not likely), XRF, ICP etc.). This will tell us quite a bit. What I would do is let someone perform another kind of test. If this was just XRF, let someone perform ICP. Or fire assay - you know what I mean.

It was discussed here multiple times that mainly low to mid-end XRF machines on Precious Metals mode tend to show completely made up compositions of mainly PGM´s for lighter elements such as arsenic.

I think you can find somebody with good XRF machine much easily than guy who can perform trustworthy and precise fire assay/other type of analysis for metals such as Os Ru or Ir. Let it be shot on general alloy method, PM method and also GeoChem method. To see what machine will spit out.

Also, It appears the analysis was done via this machine: https://www.shimadzu.com/an/product...ic-absorption-spectroscopy/aa-7000/index.html

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.

Are you familiar with this?

 

[orvi]

Also, It appears the analysis was done via this machine: https://www.shimadzu.com/an/product...ic-absorption-spectroscopy/aa-7000/index.html

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.

Are you familiar with this?

AAS should be quite reliable, at least in qualitative terms. If the specific gravity test would came out in the region above 14-15g/cm3 that should be a good enough proof to invest into reputable analysis from lab which specialize in PGM assaying. And then you can start some negotiations with buyers.

 

[SeRKaN PGM HuNTeR]

Hello all,

Last month, the price per gram of osmium on the London Stock Exchange was announced as 1665 pounds sterling. In fact, the Germans have been organizing events for osmium metal since 2014; auctions, fashion shows, etc.

The World Diamond Exchange is trying to make osmium a favorite in the search for new investment instruments as diamonds are now produced in the laboratory environment. According to my research in Europe, osmium cutlery is very popular. This is my research, but time will tell where the world will evolve as of today.

Regards