Assaying, Scorification

Scorification is an oxidizing fusion in a shallow fire clay dish called a scorifier. It uses a small
sample, a minimal quantity of acid flux and granulated lead. This process is used if a cupellation
of a copper based bullion produces a bead with visible black copper oxide on the button. The
excess lead in this process will oxidize the base metals along with the lead collecting the
precious metals in the lead while the base metals form a clear slag which contains a glass metal
oxide mixture which is easily separated from the lead.

• Prepare the metallic sample by rolling as with karat samples and cut into small pieces.
• Number the required quantity of scorifier dishes with the high temperature crayon. The
sample you will be weighing out can be placed directly in the scorifier as the scorifier and
its charge are put into the furnace cold.
• For gold filled or copper base bullion, add 5 grams of sample to an empty scorifier.
• Weigh out 2.5 grams of assay silver and add it to the scorifier.
• Cover the sample and silver with granulated lead, the proper charge for a 3 inch scorifier
is 60 grams.
• Sprinkle a teaspoon of borax glass on top of the lead.
• Prepare all of the samples and charge them into the furnace at the same time.
• The samples should be charged into a furnace preheated to 900 degrees C.
• After about 10 minutes the hole in the furnace door can be unplugged to provide air to
the reaction.
• Unlike a cupellation which produces a visibly spherical bead when done, the scorification
is complete when the molten pool of lead is about half of the starting volume. Generally
this will take an hour.
• To finish the scorification and aid in the pouring, raise the temperature of the furnace to
1050 degrees C for the last 10 minutes.
• Grasp the scorifier with a pair of crucible tongs and pour the slag and lead into a
depression in the assay cone mold. After pouring hold the inverted scorifier over the
mold to drain all of the metal and slag. The lead will fill the mold and the slag will
overflow the mold. A metal tray with a lip will keep the hot slag from running about the
floor.
• Cover the glassy slag with a used crucible to allow it to cool. Often the glassy slag will
shatter while cooling and the crucible will keep it from flying about.
• When the glass is cool, invert he mold and drop out the cone shaped lead buttons.
• Hold the lead button in a gloved hand and place it on edge on the bead anvil. Strike it
sharply with a ball peen slag hammer at the slag, lead interface to break off the slag.
• Using the hammer, pound the bead into a cube shape. This will loosen any remaining
slag which should be removed with a bead brush.
• The lead cubes are now cupelled in a manner identical to the lead boats used for karat
assays with the one exception being you will use the larger 1.5 inch diameter cupels.
• Because you will be driving off more lead than in a typical bullion assay, the time for
driving the lead will be a bit longer.