Abstract: In various embodiments, players around the casino may predict cards to be dealt in a game of blackjack.

Abstract: A method for determining the content of calcium element in an ore is provided. It includes: decomposing the ore with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid under heating condition, adding perchloric acid, cooling, adding a small amount of water and boiling the solution to dissolve the salts, then cooling, diluting to the constant volume, filtering into a dry beaker with dry filter-paper, masking interfering ions with triethanolamine, adjusting the pH value of the solution with KOH, using calcein-thymolphthalein as indicator, and determinating the content of calcium with EDTA titrimetry.

Abstract: A die structure and a die connecting method using the same are provided. The die structure includes a die and a bump structure. The bump structure includes a body and a solder layer. The body is disposed on the die. The solder layer is disposed on the body. The method includes providing a die structure mentioned above, providing a circuit board mentioned above, and soldering the solder layer of the die structure with the tine layer on the copper block of the circuit board. In different embodiments, a tin layer is omitted from the circuit board, wherein the solder layer of the die structure is directly soldered onto the surface of the copper block.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting soil nutrients or soil nutrients in soil from reflected light, and also includes systems for the measurement, calculation and transmission of data relating to or carrying out that method.

Abstract: A method of playing a wagering game comprises receiving a wager, and generating a randomly selected first outcome of a first wagering game, the first outcome comprising a first plurality of symbols arranged in a first matrix. The method further comprises generating a randomly selected second outcome of a second wagering game, the second outcome comprising a second plurality of symbols arranged in a second matrix, and simultaneously displaying the first outcome and the second outcome on at least one display. The method further comprises detecting an occurrence of a triggering event, in response to the triggering event, copying a first special symbol occurring in the first outcome into the second outcome to yield a modified second outcome, and evaluating the first outcome and the modified second outcome for winning combinations of symbols.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting soil nutrients or soil nutrients in soil from reflected light, and also includes systems for the measurement, calculation and transmission of data relating to or carrying out that method.

Abstract: A method for determining the content of calcium element in an ore is provided. It includes: decomposing the ore with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid under heating condition, adding perchloric acid, cooling, adding a small amount of water and boiling the solution to dissolve the salts, then cooling, diluting to the constant volume, filtering into a dry beaker with dry filter-paper, masking interfering ions with triethanolamine, adjusting the pH value of the solution with KOH, using calcein-thymolphthalein as indicator, and determinating the content of calcium with EDTA titrimetry.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a cleaning agent that contains surfactants and has a pH value of at least 11 when diluted in an aqueous solution and ready for use. Said cleaning agent is used to destabilize prions during mechanical and manual cleaning and/or disinfection of medical and/or surgical instruments and appliances. It has been recognized that this combination enables a reliable destabilization of prions during the mechanical reconditioning of surgical instruments.

Abstract: The diffusion coefficients and relaxation times of mixtures of alkanes follow simple scaling laws based on the chain length of the constituents and the mean chain length of the mixture. These scaling laws are used to determine chain sizes in a mixture from the distribution of the diffusion coefficients. These scaling laws can be used to determine the mean chain lengths (or chain lengths) of a sample (alkanes or mixtures of alkanes) and therefore the constituents of the sample.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel assays for zero-valent transition metals. The novel assays of the present invention are generally methods or processes for quantitatively and/or qualitatively evaluating the presence of zero-valent transition metals on and/or within samples. Such assays generally involve a digestion process whereby the sample is exposed to carbon monoxide. Transition metals, if present in or on the sample and if contacted by the carbon monoxide, are extracted by the carbon monoxide as metal carbonyl species, the presence of which confirms the presence of transition metals. Such novel assays have enormous predictive power in oil and gas exploration.

Abstract: Methods for detecting gold and quantitating gold in ore samples utilizing a gold-specific protein are provided, including methods for multiple sample handling. Also provided are methods for extracting gold from mineral suspensions utilizing a magnetic mineral binding reagent and gold-specific protein, or hydrophobic reagent and gold-specific protein in conjunction with a flotation reagent.

Abstract: Methods for detecting gold and quantitating gold in ore samples utilizing a gold-specific protein are provided, including methods for multiple sample handling. Also provided are methods for extracting gold from mineral suspensions utilizing a magnetic mineral binding reagent and gold-specific protein, or hydrophobic reagent and gold-specific protein in conjunction with a flotation reagent.

Abstract: Methods for detecting gold and quantitating gold in ore samples utilizing a gold-specific protein are provided, including methods for multiple sample handling. Also provided are methods for extracting gold from mineral suspensions utilizing a magnetic mineral binding reagent and gold-specific protein, or hydrophobic reagent and gold-specific protein in conjunction with a flotation reagent.

Abstract: The present invention is a one-step thermal method for analyzing the acid-base content of earth samples, specifically mine overburden samples. By using a low oxygen concentration, preferably about 3%, the transition metal carbonates in the sample decomposed to produce carbon dioxide at a lower temperature than the alkaline earth metal carbonates. In contrast, alkaline earth metal carbonates decompose at approximately the same (higher) temperature regardless of the oxygen concentration. Any oxidizable sulfur forms present in the sample are also oxidized by using this oxygen concentration so that only one experiment is required to obtain the carbonate and sulfur contents of the sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a kit for the measurement of anion, cation or zwitterion availability in a medium or for the measurement of free inorganic ions in disrupted cells from plant or animal tissue. The kit comprises ion-exchange material having a measurable ion uptake potential for immobilizing available ions from the medium on the material following contact on the material with the medium or suspension. It also comprises means to remove particulate solids from the material after having contacted the medium with the material. Preferably, the ion-exchange material is cation and/or anion-exchange material in the form of rigid or flexible films, sheets, membranes or the like. The invention also relates to a method for the on-site in situ measurement of anion and/or cation availability in a solid medium and to a method for measuring free organic ions in cells from plant or animal tissue.

Abstract: A method for analyzing metal in a fluid is provided comprising maintaining a first portion of a continuous filter media substrate at a temperature coinciding with the phase in which the metal is to be analyzed; contacting the fluid to a first portion of said substrate to retain the metal on the first portion of said substrate; preventing further contact of the fluid to the first portion of substrate; and contacting the fluid to a second portion of said substrate to retain metal on the second portion of the said substrate while simultaneously analyzing the first portion for metal.

Abstract: Organic and inorganic contaminants of an environmental sample are analyzed by the same GC-MS instrument by adding an oxidizing agent to the sample to oxidize metal or metal compounds to form metal ions. The metal ions are converted to chelate complexes and the chelate complexes are extracted into a supercritical fluid such as CO.sub.2. The metal chelate extract after flowing through a restrictor tube is directly injected into the ionization chamber of a mass spectrometer, preferably containing a refractory metal filament such as rhenium to fragment the complex to release metal ions which are detected. This provides a fast, economical method for the analysis of metal contaminants in a sample and can be automated. An organic extract of the sample in conventional or supercritical fluid solvents can be detected in the same mass spectrometer, preferably after separation in a supercritical fluid chromatograph.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining mercury vapor content of a body of earth for the purpose of ascertaining the mercury vapor content and correlating to the expected degree of mineralized character of the body of earth which includes the use of a strip of silver placed within a pocket in the body of earth involved and then after an appropriate exposure time analyzing the silver to determine the mercury vapor content by reason of absorption of vapor therefrom by the silver and the subsequent driving off and measuring thereof.

Abstract: A method of geochemical prospecting where samples of soil, sediment and rock in a geological area are collected and each sample is contacted with a leach solution of water, glucose and glucose oxidase. The oxidase acts upon the glucose to produce gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide. The leach solution reacts with manganese dioxide carrying trace metal elements and compounds in the samples to produce a leach reaction solution. The leach reaction solution and the residue of the said sample are separated, and the leach reaction solution is analyzed to determine the trace metal content present. From the analysis, the mineral content of the geological area is predicted.

Abstract: The invention provides a reagent suitable for the dissolution of metallic gold and various methods for the application of the reagent including gold analysis, gold extraction, gold separation and the in-situ treatment of gold deposits.The reagent uses a protic solvent containing a preferably non-reducing cation source and a source of bromine optionally in combination with a strong oxidizing agent. The protic solvent is water or a lower alkyl alcohol or a mixture thereof. The cation source preferably highly dissociates in the protic solvent and suitable cation sources include dibasic ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulphate, potassium chromate, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. Cation sources which liberate ammonium cations are preferred.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for indicating the presence of concealed minerals and/or deposits in prospecting or exploration operations. A flow of ascending free geogas is analyzed with respect to its content of entrained substances of exploration interest. The gas is suitably sampled at locations beneath or above the surface of the ground, and its content of carried substances caused to be released, and then collected and analyzed. The gas may suitably be caused to flow through a device in which solid substances of interest are collected for example by absorbtion and/or adsorbtion techniques. Electrically charged particles can also be collected with the aid of an electric field.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting and mapping volatile species emanating from an underground source. A mass spectrometer is used for species identification and multivariate statistics are employed to determine the character of the source. The character is quantitatively defined and the volatile species emanating from unknown areas is compared to a known source.

Abstract: A method and apparatus has been provided to locate a subterranian precious ore and/or sulfide body from which mercury gas is emanating. The apparatus includes an inverted plastic drinking cup from which a mercury-free silver wire is suspended from its end. This is accomplished by inserting the end of the wire into a foam insulation disk located in the bottom of the inverted cup. Alternatively, wire may be attached within a cap of a storage vial. The cap has an adhesive on the outer surface which adheres it to the bottom of the cup, whereupon the vial is removed from the cap to expose the wire. A foil disk is placed on the outside of the bottom of the cup. A plurality of cups are buried in the ground forming a dead air space around the wire, for a period of weeks wherein any mercury-vapor in the ground in the area of the cup is adsorbed by the wire. These cups are arranged in a predetermined array and are subsequently located by means of a metal detector which can detect the metal foil on the cups.

Abstract: Process for sorting coarse to fine materials according to their chemical composition, in which samples are taken and analyzed, and in which the transporting and/or further processing of the materials is controlled according to the results of the analysis. The samples are taken in the form of an air swirled mixture of coarse dust and fine dust (i.e., particles with grain sizes of less than 200 .mu.m) which is obtained as a by-product or is produced artificially. The coarser dust is separated from the mixture. All of the fine dust or a fraction thereof is analyzed.