We have prepared some artificial telluride minerals, which are determined physicochemically to be similar to natural ones, and have investigated their effects on the assay of gold and silver. The effects of metallic tellurium was also examined. Thus we come to the conclusion that in the ores containing less than 1% of tellurium in free or combined state, the element has no practical effect and that even the ores containing more than 1% also can be treated by ordinary crucible assay, if the amount of lead added to the assay material, is greater than 100 times as that of tellurium contained.
However, if both Te and Bi are contained, the effect of tellurium becomes so much greater, that we must consider the allowable limit in the sum of their amounts.
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