Counterfeit Detection and Authenticity Verification

The Quick Detection module, Counterfeit Detection tab, compares the isotopic signature of a product against a library of authenticated references and calculates an authenticity score. It indicates whether the signature is consistent with the declared product category and origin.

The Problem This Tab Solves

Fraud involving critical raw materials has surged with the energy transition. Antimony declared Bolivian but produced in China, tungsten certified conflict-free but extracted in conflict zones, lithium stamped as Australian but containing a significant proportion of uncertified African lithium: in all these cases, elemental chemical analysis detects nothing. Impurity contents can be falsified. Certificates of analysis can be counterfeited.

The isotopic signature, however, cannot be falsified without altering the material itself, which is not economically viable at industrial scale. This is the foundation of its use as an anti-counterfeiting tool.

How the Authenticity Score Is Calculated

IsoFind queries the database for all reference samples matching the selected product category. For each one, it calculates the sigma distance between the measured signature and the reference signature. The composite score is calculated by weighting:

• Match within 1σ: weight 3 (very strong agreement)
• Match within 2σ: weight 2 (probable agreement)
• Match within 3σ: weight 1 (possible agreement)

The final score (0–100%) is normalised by the total number of references available for the category. If a declared origin is provided, a bonus of +12% is applied if the GPS location of matching references confirms the origin, or a penalty of −8% if no geographically compatible reference is found among the matches. The asymmetry between bonus and penalty is intentional: geographic confirmation is a strong indicator, but the absence of a reference in the database may simply reflect incomplete coverage of the area, rather than proven fraud.

Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Enter the Signature of the Sample to Authenticate Enter the tracer element, the δ value, and the analytical uncertainty. For industrial products, favour tracers with the densest reference library (Sb for strategic metals and explosives, Pb for polymetallic ores, Sr for food and agriculture).
2. Select the Product Category The category directs the search towards relevant reference subsets. A category that is too broad (e.g. All) will return more references but reduce the specificity of the score.
3. Enter the Declared Origin (Optional) Enter the country or region declared on customs documents or the certificate of analysis. IsoFind will use this information to adjust the score via the GPS location of references.
4. Choose the Confidence Threshold The threshold determines above which score the conclusion is Authentic. The standard threshold (80%) is calibrated for a false positive rate of approximately 5% on the current database. A strict threshold (95%) is appropriate for judicial expert assessments.
5. Run the Verification and Read the Verdict Click Verify Authenticity. The verdict is displayed immediately with the score, match statistics, and the closest references.

Possible Verdicts

Available Product Categories

Practical Case: Antimony Trioxide Batch: Follow-up on the Traceability Case

The same batch of Sb₂O₃ analysed on the Provenance Traceability page (δ = +0.392‰, declared origin Bolivia) is submitted to authenticity verification.

Configuration :

• Category: Industrial Metals and Alloys
• Declared origin: Bolivia
• Threshold: standard 80%

Result: score 18%, verdict Suspect. None of the Bolivian references (Oruro, Potosí, Huanuni) is within 2σ. Two Chinese references (Xikuangshan, Guizhou) are within 1σ. The origin bonus is converted to a penalty (−8%) as no geographically Bolivian reference matches. The exported expert report documents the entire calculation chain.