The applicability of the microwave-coupled hollow cathode excitation source to the determination of minor elements in metals and alloys was tested in the case of Cu (0.019 - 0.060%), Fe (0.30 - 0.34%), Mg (1.29 - 5.85%), Mn (0.12 - 0.58%), Ti (0.014 - 0.042%) and Zn (0.012 - 0.040%). The combined discharge permitted the intensity of analyte spectral lines to be increased, whereas a decrease was observed in background level as well as in the intensity of the carrier gas spectrum. Higher signal-to-noise ratios could thus be obtained without sacrificing any of the properties possessed by the hollow cathode discharge.