Assay Samples
Material retained and provided so that results can be checked independently
Samples are not a commercial product in themselves. They exist so that a counterparty, a laboratory or an independent party can test the same material the records describe.
- Form
- Pins, drillings or granulated portions
- Identification
- Linked to the parent lot identifier
- Purpose
- Verification and retention, not resale
- Record
- Sampling procedure, date and responsible party
What the product is
A sample is drawn under a defined procedure so that it represents the lot it came from. Its value lies entirely in that representativeness and in the record of how, when and by whom it was taken.
Retained samples allow a later question about a result to be examined against physical material rather than argued from documents alone.
Purity and fineness considerations
A sample carries no purity claim of its own. It is the object on which a purity determination is made, and the resulting figure applies to the parent lot only to the extent the sampling procedure supports it.
Weight considerations
Sample weight is recorded and deducted from, or reconciled against, the parent lot weight so that material accounting remains complete.
Verification requirements
- Sampling under agreed conditions, witnessed where a counterparty requires it.
- Assay by an agreed laboratory or method.
- Retention of a counter-sample where the transaction structure provides for it.
Documentation
- Sampling record identifying procedure, date, location and responsible party.
- Chain-of-custody record for the sample itself.
- Assay report issued against the sample identifier.
Refining considerations
Sample material may be consumed by testing. Where it is not, its disposal or return is recorded so that accounting for the parent lot remains complete.
Logistics considerations
Samples moved across borders are subject to the same documentary and regulatory considerations as other precious-metals movements, and are planned accordingly.
Who this may be relevant to
- Counterparties carrying out their own verification
- Independent laboratories appointed by a buyer
- Transactions where results are to be confirmed before settlement
How enquiries are handled
Enquiries should state the verification arrangement envisaged, including any laboratory the counterparty intends to appoint and the witnessing arrangements required.
Commercial terms are discussed directly with qualified counterparties and depend on product specifications, transaction structure, documentation, logistics and other relevant requirements. No prices, fees or indicative values are published on this website.
Discuss this requirement
Send your specification, destination, verification preference and documentation requirements, and we will confirm what can be supported.
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