Analyzing Metals

Starting around 1830, costly examinations previously performed in metallurgical laboratories become quick routine tasks. A blowpipe is all that is needed to divulge the secret of a few crumbs of rock.

Industrialization demands new raw materials. Metals like chrome, nickel, cadmium, manganese and cobalt become increasingly interesting. New metals are discovered. The deposits of all of these metals must be explored as quickly and easily as possible.

The metal content of the ores can be determined on location by means of blowpipe analysis. Once deposits have been made exploitable, the next step is the precise analysis and quantification of the valuable materials in tedious processes of dissolving, chopping, decanting, filtering, drying and weighing in the laboratory.

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