Determination of manganese in high-purity niobium, tantalum, molybdenum and tungsten metals with pan

A spectrophotometric method for the determination of 0.0005-0.10% of manganese in high-purity niobium, tantalum, molybdenum and tungsten metals is described. The matrix materials are separated from the manganese by extraction as cupferrates, after sample dissolution, then the red complex formed between manganese(II) and 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol, PAN, is extracted into chloroform from an ammoniacal tartrate-cyanide medium. The absorbance of the extract is determined at 562 mmicro. With the exception of zinc and lead, other impurities present in the four high-purity metals described do not interfere with the proposed method.