ISO Standards for Precious Metals a Review of the TC 174

ISO Standards for Precious Metals

A Review of the TC 174 Current & Future Work

Jonathan J. Jodry ISO/TC 174 Chair, DIN, Germany Head of Laboratories & New Business Development, Metalor Technologies SA, Switzerland

LBMA Assaying and Refining Conference March 2021, virtual What is ISO ?

International Standardisation Organisation ἴσος (ancien Greek : equal)

Founded in London in 1946 Effective in 1947 with 67 TC established First ISO headquarters in a private house of Geneva, Switzerland

source : www.iso.org/the-iso-story.html 122 Members bodies 39 Correspondent members 4 Subscriber members ISO headquarters 1956-2000 Geneva, Switzerland Only countries can be ISO members Why ISO exists ?

• “What is the best way of doing this ?” • Focusing on customers – to provide them with safe and reliable products & services • Help companies to save time and money, to improve processes, and to increase customer satisfaction

General ISO principles

• ISO published standards • Standards are drafted by international experts through consensus • Conformance to standards is not mandatory (although governments can request it) • ISO does not perform any audit Clean room – ISO 14644-1

ISO class 4-5-6

Child seat – ISO 13216

ISOFIX ISO 6 Photography — Determination of ISO speed (1974, replacing 9 different Images for computer – ISO 660 reference systems) ISO images for computer Technical Standards

ISO 6 ISO 668 ISO 4217 Photography — Determination Series 1 freight containers — Currency codes of ISO speed Classification, dimensions (1978, allowing international (1974, replacing 9 different and ratings financial exchange) reference systems) (1968, marking the beginning of globalisation)

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ISO/IEC 27001 ISO 17034 Information security MS General requirements for the competence of reference material ISO 31000 producers Risk management

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DIS TC (draft international standard) Technical Committee ISO/TS (technical Delegates consensus CD specification) (representing (committee drafts) their countries) ISO/TR SC (technical report) Subcommittee

WG WG Experts consensus WD ISO/PAS (representing (publicly available Working Group Working Group (working drafts) themselves) specification) TMB Technical Management Board

TCTC 174 JewelleryTechnical and precious Committeemetals

SC Subcommittee

WG WG Working Group Working Group TC 174 Jewellery and precious metals Secretariat DIN Com. Manager Petra Bischoff Chairperson Jonathan Jodry

WG 1 Methods for determining fineness

Secretariat DIN 18 Participating members (P-members) Convener Stefan Zorn Austria (ASI) Italy (UNI) Belgium (NBN) Japan (JISC) China (SAC) Peru (INACAL) WG 2 Czech Republic (UNMZ) Philippines (BPS) Diamonds, gemstones and related products France (AFNOR) Russian Federation (GOST R) Germany (DIN) Spain (UNE) Secretariat SNV India (BIS) Switzerland (SNV) Convener Jean-Pierre Chalain Iran, Islamic Republic of (ISIRI) Tanzania, United Republic of (TBS) Israel (SII) United Kingdom (BSI)

21 Observing members (O-members) Source : https://www.iso.org/committee/53874.html ISO 9202:2019 ISO 11596:2008 ISO 8654:2018 fineness of alloys sampling colour of alloys

ISO 22764:2020 fineness of solders ISO 10713:2018 Alloys Fine Metals gold alloy coatings ISO 11426:2014 ISO 15093:2020 Au cupellation (100-999.5‰) ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) ISO 11427:2014 ISO 15096:2020 potentiometry KBr ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) Ag ISO 13756:2015 ISO 24018:2020 potentiometry NaCl/KCl 1 kilogram gold bar ISO 11210:2014 ISO 15093:2020 gravimetry ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) Pt ISO 11494:2019 ICP-OES (≤ 990‰) ISO 11490:2015 ISO 15093:2020 gravimetry ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) Pd ISO 11495:2019 ICP-OES (≤ 990‰) ISO 9202:2019 ISO 11596:2021 ISO 8654:2018 fineness of alloys sampling colour of alloys

ISO 22764:2020 fineness of solders ISO 10713:2018 Alloys Fine Metals gold alloy coatings ISO 11426:2021 ISO 15093:2020 Au cupellation (100-999.5‰) ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) ISO 11427 ISO 15096:2020 potentiometry KBr ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) Ag ISO 13756 ISO 24018:2020 potentiometry NaCl/KCl 1 kilogram gold bar ISO 11210 ISO 15093:2020 gravimetry ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) Pt ISO 11494:2019 ICP-OES (≤ 990‰) ISO 11490 ISO 15093:2020 gravimetry ICP-OES by difference (≥ 999‰) Pd ISO 11495:2019 ICP-OES (≤ 990‰) ISO 24018:2020 1 kilogram gold bar

ISO 24018 :: Specifications for 1 kilogram gold bar

First TC 174 standard targeting specifically financial and investment markets

Fineness 999.9‰, 999.5‰, 999‰ or 995‰ (Analysis and rounding rules are defined)

Mandatory markings Other markings • manufacturer • assay mark • gold or Au • year • weight • ISO 24018 reference • fineness • country • serial number

Surface quality: flat and smooth surfaces, free from cavities & holes, edges shall not be sharp New 999.9‰ ISO 24018 quality: specifications for 15 impurities compliant with LBMA, SGE & ASTM standards and rules Producers may mark such bars with «ISO 24018» ISO 24018:2020 1 kilogram gold bar ISO 24018 bars are already ISO 17034 Reference Material on the market from Metalor now available

999.9 mg / kg ISO 24018 value uncertainty spec Ag ≤ 50 52.6 1.8 As ≤ 30 28.7 1.5 Bi ≤ 20 20.6 1.6 Cr ≤ 3 2.7 0.4 Cu ≤ 20 19.5 1.0 Fe ≤ 20 21.1 1.3 Mg ≤ 30 27.3 1.7 Mn ≤ 3 3.2 0.4 Ni ≤ 3 3.7 0.5 Pb ≤ 10 9.6 0.8 Pd ≤ 50 55 4.4 Sb ≤ 10 9.9 0.9 Si ≤ 50 42.8 3.0 Sn ≤ 10 10.4 0.9 Total 309.3 14.0 ISO 11426:2021 cupellation

ISO 11426 :: Determination of gold — Cupellation method (fire assay)

Current version (2014) New version (March 2021) • For gold jewellery alloys 333-999‰ • For homogeneous material 100-999.5‰ • Specific method for Au 999‰ • Same method for Au 999‰ (different proofs) • Scorification method described • Scorification method not accepted anymore • Pt & Pd only acceptable as white gold • Specific ratios for Pt & Pd listed • Not compatible with large amount of Ag • Specific procedure for large amount of Ag • Not compatible with traces of Ir, Rh, Ru • Compatible with traces of Ir, Rh, Ru

New specification for Au, Ag, Pt & Pt proofs New calculation for proof correction New tolerance for repeatability (e.g. 0.16‰ for Au < 995‰ (was 0.2‰) Informative table listing maximum contents for base metals ISO/FDIS 23345 Fineness by ED-XRF

ISO/FDIS 23345 :: Non destructive precious metal fineness confirmation by ED-XRF

A brand new standard to confirm fineness of finished & semifinished jewellery items

3 steps : • Calibration with at least 3 standards • Method validation with a reference material of similar composition • Analysis of item

Strict rules for the composition of calibration standards and reference material Method can only be used if repeatability performance on measures & and acceptable result for reference material are met Clear calculation method for uncertainty Clear interpretation rule for result (including “inconclusive result” as of ISO 10576-1

Standards currently under development…

Very high purity gold by ICP-MS High purity Au, Ag, Pt & Pd by SPARK-OES

• A method already seen at LBMA round • Perhaps the most commonly used method robin for fine precious metals analysis • Very important development in Asia • Extremely important for all refiners, but not • Can allow analysis of 999.999‰ gold standardized at ISO level so far

2 potentially very important methods for LBMA… Thanks to all Experts, Delegates and Participating Countries !

Geneva 2016 We are looking at expanding our Shenzhen 2019 list of participating countries…

London 2017 Berlin 2019

Milano 2018 Prague 2018