A preconcentration method is described for traces of copper, cadmium and lead from pure zinc metal by use of activated carbon. Ammonium salt of dithiophosphoric acid-o, o-diethylester is used to complex Cu, Cd and Pb. These chelates are sorbed on activated carbon. The traces sorbed on the carbon are determined by direct current arc atomic emission spectrography. The analytical error in the concentration range of 10−3–10−4% is less than 6% and relative standard deviation is below 10%.