ASTM E2941-13
Standard Practice for Nitric Acid-Extraction of Elements from Ores and Related Metallurgical Materials by Closed Vessel Microwave Heating

Standard No.

ASTM E2941-13

Release Date

2013

Published By

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Status

Be replaced

Replace By

ASTM E2941-14

Latest

ASTM E2941-21

Scope

5.1 These test methods are primarily intended to test materials for compliance with compositional specifications and for monitoring. Partial extraction of ores and related metallurgical materials can provide information on the availability of elements to leaching, water quality changes, or other site conditions.

5.2 Rapid heating, in combination with temperatures in excess of the atmospheric boiling point of HNO₃, reduces sample preparation or reaction times.

5.3 Little or no acids are lost to boiling or evaporation in the closed digestion vessel so additional portions of acid may not be required. Increased blank corrections from trace impurities in acid are minimized.

5.4 It is assumed that the users of this practice will be trained analysts capable of performing common laboratory procedures skillfully and safely. It is expected that work will be performed in a properly equipped laboratory and that proper waste disposal procedures will be followed. Appropriate quality control practices such as those described in Guide E882 must be followed.

1.1 This practice covers the digestion of ores and related metallurgical materials, such as mine soil, waste rock and tailings, for subsequent determination of nitric acid-extractable contents of certain elements by such solution analytical techniques as atomic absorption, atomic emission (see Method D1976), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (see Method D5673).

1.1.1 Contents of aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, boron, cadmium, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, scandium, selenium, silver, sodium, strontium, thallium, tin, titanium, vanadium and zinc can be extracted from ores and related metallurgical materials for determination by analytical methods for elements in solution. Other elements may be determined from extracts produced using this practice.

1.1.2 Actual element quantification can be accomplished by following the various test methods under other appropriate ASTM standards for element(s) of interest in solution.

1.1.3 The detection limit and linear content range for each element is dependent on the atomic absorption or emission spectrometric technique employed and may be found in the manual accompanying the instrument used or ASTM standard method for analysis of the solutions. Take into account the 100 fold dilution due to digesting a 1-g sample to final volume of 100 mL.

1.1.4 The extent of extraction of elements from ores and related metallurgical materials by this method is dependent upon the physical and mineralogical characteristics of the prepared sample.

1.2 The values stated SI units are to be regarded as the standard. No other units of measurements are included in this standard.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazard statements, see Section 9.

ASTM E2941-13 Referenced Document

• ASTM D1193 Standard Specification for Reagent Water
• ASTM D1976 Standard Test Method for Elements in Water by Inductively-Coupled Argon Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy
• ASTM D5258 Standard Practice for Acid-Extraction of Elements from Sediments Using Closed Vessel Microwave Heating
• ASTM D5673 Standard Test Method for Elements in Water by Inductively Coupled Plasma8212;Mass Spectrometry
• ASTM E135 Standard Terminology Relating to Analytical Chemistry for Metals, Ores, and Related Materials
• ASTM E50 Standard Practice for Apparatus, Reagents, and safety Precautions for Chemical Analysis of Metals
• ASTM E882 Standard Guide for Accountability and Quality Control in the Chemical Analysis Laboratory

ASTM E2941-13 history

• 2021 ASTM E2941-21 Standard Practices for Extraction of Elements from Ores and Related Metallurgical Materials by Acid Digestion
• 2014 ASTM E2941-14 Standard Practices for Extraction of Elements from Ores and Related Metallurgical Materials by Acid Digestion
• 2013 ASTM E2941-13 Standard Practice for Nitric Acid-Extraction of Elements from Ores and Related Metallurgical Materials by Closed Vessel Microwave Heating