AS 5006.1:2019 Silver and silver bearing alloys
A.5  Sampling by clipping
The recommended procedure for sampling ingots by clipping is as follows:
(a) Remove any surface oxide from the ingot with a wire brush.
(b) Using a guillotine or chisel, cut samples from diagonally opposite ends of the ingot.
NOTE  To prevent contamination of samples, it is essential that the cutting implement be cleaned before use and between samples.
A.6  Sampling by sawing
The recommended procedure for sampling ingots by sawing is as follows:
(a) Remove any surface oxide from the ingot with a wire brush.
(b) Using a metal-cutting saw blade in a horizontal attitude, make a cut of 3 mm depth one-quarter distance from one end of the ingot.
(c) To prevent contamination of samples, it is essential that the saw be cleaned before use and between samples.
(d) Discard the sawings (i.e. set them aside with other scrap silver).
(e) Extend the cut to a depth equal to two-thirds of the depth of the ingot and collect the sawings onto a clean sheet of glazed paper.
(f) Repeat the steps in Clauses A.6(a) to A.6(d) on the reverse surface of the ingot, but cut the sample from the opposite end of the ingot to that used in Clause A.6(b). Collect the sawings onto a separate sheet of paper.
(g) Keep the two samples for separate assay.
A.7  Sampling by drilling
The recommended procedure for sampling ingots by drilling is as follows:
(a) Remove any surface oxide from the ingot with a wire brush.
(b) Using a drill bit (approximately 6 mm), drill two holes through the upper surface inward from two diagonally opposite corners, each of depth 3 mm and at a distance of one-quarter of the length of the ingot.
(c) Discard the drillings (i.e. set them aside with other scrap silver).
(d) Redrill each hole to a depth equal to two-thirds of the depth of the ingot and empty the drillings onto a clean sheet of glazed paper.
NOTE 1  To prevent contamination of samples, it is essential that the drill be cleaned before use and before taking each set of two samples.
NOTE 2  Minimal pressure should be applied to the drill so as to produce thin drilling chips that can be cut into smaller pieces without further treatment.
(e) Repeat the steps in Clauses A.7(a) to A.7(d) on the reverse surface of the ingot, but use the corners on the opposite diagonal to that used in Clause A.7(b). Empty the drillings onto a separate sheet of paper.
(f) Keep the two samples for separate assay.