what is the best way to assay copper to tell purity

[buffhunter]

i have a guy that offered me "copper bars" at a decent price. Looking at them, i see no markings, so how can i tell they are copper and not an mixture of other metals. is there any kind of electronic device that will tell me the purity of the bars? any help would be greatly appreciated.

[WAres]

cut it in half see if its copper all the way through, if so you have #1 solids(candy)

[theirratonalist]

i have a guy that offered me "copper bars" at a decent price. Looking at them, i see no markings, so how can i tell they are copper and not an mixture of other metals. is there any kind of electronic device that will tell me the purity of the bars? any help would be greatly appreciated.

In industry, they use XRF Handheld Metal Spectroscopy Analyzers. Basically a gun that you hold against a metal and then it reads out what it contains. I'm not sure how accurate they are off hand, but at least accurate up to 3 digits (.999)

[DemonWolfe]

i have a guy that offered me "copper bars" at a decent price. Looking at them, i see no markings, so how can i tell they are copper and not an mixture of other metals. is there any kind of electronic device that will tell me the purity of the bars? any help would be greatly appreciated.

In industry, they use XRF Handheld Metal Spectroscopy Analyzers. Basically a gun that you hold against a metal and then it reads out what it contains. I'm not sure how accurate they are off hand, but at least accurate up to 3 digits (.999)

only problem with the analyzer gun is that it cost alot of money, they cost upwards of 15,000 dollars, that is if i am thinking of the same one. there isnt a scrap yard around in my area that even has one

[wolfmann]

Hello All; If anybodies close to spencer Iowa they have one of those guns. I think mike said they are about 20 grand but will check thungs for you. The wolf