Gold Purity Testing for Idiots

[IronBard]

Please help. Ima idiot. Seems everything (gold from electronics and PCs) I test using a Purity Test Kit tests at 10k. I know from reading this forum that some of my scrap should be higher than that (memory chip pins). I have tried scratching on the stone, filings on the stone, and angrily gouging the gold and dropping the solution there. lol. I can't get a test over 10k. I tested the sample gold that came with the kit and it tests correctly. What on earth am I doing wrong!?

 

[GotTheBug]

Gold on parts is plated, you might be rubbing some of the plating onto the testing stone with the gold, which would skew the results. The reward will come when you process some scrap, make a button, test that, and it will hold 22k all day long.

 

[IronBard]

Well, shoot. I was trying to estimate the value pre-processing to see if I come close to the actual value post-processing. I haven't refined anything as of yet. I'm still reading Hoke and the forum first.

 

[goldsilverpro]

You can't test gold plating on a stone and expect any meaningful results at all, never, period. No one can. It's impossible. The touchstone is for solid alloys like solid karat gold, not for gold plating.

Actually you would never have a reason to test it since all gold plating you'll find on electronics is at least 99% pure. That's 23.76K.

See, your first post and you learned something.

 

[IronBard]

See, your first post and you learned something.

I sure did!

So, even those pieces that look as tho they have little plating (thickness) have 99% pure gold just not very thick? Does this mean I can combine it all when I get confident enough to actually refine it? I've been meticulously keeping it separate :roll:

 

[Long Shot]

IronBard - what you will eventually be doing is dissolving the gold into solution using chemical means. It will not matter about thickness of plating or if your perception is that it is or is not 99%. What you will have is gold in solution and by following the methods on the forum and/or Hokes book you will wind up with precipitated gold in some form of purity. From there you will use high heat to melt this into a button or ingot. How pure that is depends on how well you follow the methods.

Suggested reading - electrochemistry section of the forum, Hokes, Gold Refiners Handbooks 1 & 2, and posts from very experienced members on this forum (search function). This will give you a good understanding to your questions.

 

[IronBard]

Thanks everyone! Most of all, thanks for being so nice to a newbie.Your kindness means a lot!!