What Is This Tool?
This tool allows users to convert mass measurements from petagrams, a unit representing extremely large masses, into US assay tons, a historical unit used primarily in precious metal assaying and mining.
How to Use This Tool?
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Enter the mass value in petagrams you wish to convert
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Select petagram as the from-unit and US assay ton as the to-unit
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Click the convert button to see the result in assay tons
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Use the output to compare large-scale mass data with precious metal assay results
Key Features
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Converts mass values from petagram (Pg) to US assay ton (AT US)
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Based on official conversion rate linking extremely large SI units to historical assay units
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Useful for geoscience, mining, and precious metal concentration analysis
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Browser-based and easy to use with no installation required
Examples
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2 Petagrams equals 68,571,420,734,694 US assay tons
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0.5 Petagram equals 17,142,855,183,673.5 US assay tons
Common Use Cases
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Reporting vast global carbon stocks or emissions at the gigatonne scale
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Quantifying mass changes in ice sheets and glaciers
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Estimating large-scale biomass or material inventories
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Reporting precious metal content on assay certificates as ounces per assay ton
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Calculating contractual settlements for ore shipments based on metal content
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Converting historical assay data for resource estimation and comparison
Tips & Best Practices
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Verify unit definitions carefully since the assay ton mass has varied historically
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Specify explicit mass units in modern reporting to avoid ambiguity
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Cross-check large conversion results for feasibility in your context
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Use this tool to facilitate communication between geoscience and mining data
Limitations
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The US assay ton's exact mass varies by jurisdiction and historical practice
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Large petagram values convert to extremely large assay ton values which may exceed practical limits
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Modern usage often requires explicit mass specification instead of relying solely on assay tons
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a petagram used for?
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A petagram is typically used in geosciences and climate science to express very large masses like global carbon stocks or ice-sheet mass changes.
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Why does the assay ton have variable mass?
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The US assay ton is a historical mining unit whose exact mass has varied by jurisdiction and practice, leading to differences in reported values.
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Can I use this tool for precious metal assay calculations?
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Yes, the tool converts mass to US assay tons, which helps relate large-scale mass measurements to assay-based precious metal content reporting.
Key Terminology
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Petagram [Pg]
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An SI unit of mass equal to 10^15 grams, used to express extremely large masses.
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Ton (assay) (US) [AT (US)]
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A historical US mining mass unit used to report precious metal content; its exact mass has varied.
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Conversion Rate
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The value used to convert between petagram and US assay ton: 1 Pg = 34,285,710,367,347 AT (US).