How to Know if It's Gold With an Acid Test
Acid is commonly used to test jewelry, coins and scrap metal believed to contain gold. Test kits are available with a black test stone and premixed acid solutions for testing and determining the purity of a gold alloy. The premixed acids typically come in 10K, 14K, 18K and 22K solutions for determining the karate of the gold object. By using a test stone, rather than applying acid directly to the object in question, you can determine the gold content without damaging the metal object. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Put on gloves and protective goggles.
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2
Scratch your metal object on the test stone, making a visible line approximately one inch long.
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3
Dispense one drop of the lowest karate acid solution, likely 10K, on the line left on the test stone.
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4
Observe the reaction. If the metal line disappears, the gold content is less than 10K and has little to no salvageable gold content. If the gold line remains once the acid is applied, the object has 10K purity or greater.
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Repeat Step 4 with each acid solution with the 14K, 18K and 22K solutions on an unused portion of the metal line. If the metal line disappears, the gold content equals the karate of the previously used solution. If the metal line remains after testing with 22K solution, the metal is likely 24K gold.
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Tips & Warnings
For objects that may have heavy gold plating, it may be necessary to scratch into the surface and use the acid directly on the metal object in question.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
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Comments
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Very good tips now I now gold when I see it, thanks.
