Patent ID: 9625436
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: G01N

Claim:
1. A method of determining the geographic origin of a sample including an elemental metal with an apparatus including high resolution mass spectrometer device, comprising: measuring, using the high resolution mass spectrometer device of the apparatus, a first isotope and a second isotope of the elemental metal; calculating, using a processor of the apparatus, a ratio of the first isotope to the second isotope of the elemental metal measured by the high resolution mass spectrometer device; comparing, using the processor of the apparatus, the ratio to native ratios of two isotopes of the elemental metal of native samples from a plurality of geographic locations using a database of the apparatus; and matching, using the processor of the apparatus, the ratio to a geographic location, wherein the ratio of the first isotope and the second isotope that is calculated and compared to the native ratios is of isotopes of a same elemental metal.