Assays and Assayers
Nevada does not have a registration program for assayers. As the leading state in precious metals production, Nevada has many high quality professional assay labs. Assayer listings may be found in a number of mining trade publications and other sources.
There may also be some poorly-equipped or "questionable" labs vying for your business. Spend some time researching the lab with whom you choose to submit samples. Make sure that they have updated equipment, a knowledgeable staff, meet environmental standards, and are capable of doing the analysis you require.
If you are investing in a mine based on assay results, be extremely careful. Remember, a few assay results do not make a mine. Assays should be only one of a number of indicators as to the potential success of a mining venture.
Assembly Bill (AB) 549
The 1995 Nevada Legislature passed AB 549 requiring the following statement to be included in all commercial assay reports:
The results of this assay were based solely upon the content of the sample submitted. Any decision to invest should be made only after the potential investment value of the claim or deposit has been determined based on the results of assays of multiple samples of geologic materials collected by the prospective investor or by a qualified person selected by him/her and based on an evaluation of all engineering data which is available concerning any proposed project.
Mining Fraud
Links to information on mining fraud and scams can be found below.