Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the recovery of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rare earths from precious metal-bearing materials. In particular, a method of purifying precious metal from a precious metal-bearing material comprising the steps a) forming an aqueous acidic oxidant mixture from hydrogen peroxide an acid and a source of bromide ion, said acidic oxidant mixture having a pH in the range 0 to 6; b) contacting the acidic oxidant mixture with the precious metal bearing-material to oxidise the metal and form a metal bromide salt solution containing the metal bromide MBrn and/or [MBrn+1]? where n is the valency of the oxidised metal ion Mn+; and c) controlling the metal bromide salt solution to a value in the range 3-7 by providing alkali metal ions A+ in the solution to form an alkali metal/metal bromide solution containing the salt AMBrn+1 in solution.

Abstract: A portable NMR probe for the analysis of dispersions, the portable NMR probe comprising: a base part; a detachable probe assembly detachably mounted on the base part and electrically connected to the base part, the detachable probe assembly comprising: a housing; and a radio-frequency coil assembly received in the housing, the radio-frequency coil assembly comprising an RF coil support that has a channel for receiving an NMR sample, and an RF coil wound around the RF coil support for transmitting radio-frequency pulses to the NMR sample and for detecting magnetic resonance responses from the NMR sample; and a field magnet arranged to generate a magnetic field in the detachable probe assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the recovery of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rare earths from precious metal-bearing materials.