Potassium Gold(III) Chloride powder Assay?

[tonofsteel]

What would happen if you created/bought Potassium Gold(III) Chloride powder (or Chloroauric acid) and then sent it away for a fire assay to test for gold?

While that is my main question I am also wondering about any gold salts or tellurides? Will the heat break it back down into its original components and give an accurate assay or would the gold somehow be hidden or escape by being taken up in the fumes?

The reason I ask is I read an article claiming that Potassium Gold Chloride can be found in nature and someone figured out a way for bacteria to "eat" it and produce pure gold.

I know you can precipitate it the gold out using sodium metabisulfite but just for a thought experiment I was wondering if I found one of these elusive areas and sent away the soil for an assay would it catch gold in this sort of scenario.

 

[Lino1406]

Was that article in "humor and jokes" journal?

 

[tonofsteel]

This article talks about it:

It is true that gold (III) chloride does occur in nature, is highly toxic and isn't especially useful from a commercial perspective.

https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1012/could-alchemy-threaten-the-gold-market.aspx

I can't see it as I thought this powder is water soluble so with rain/snow and all I find it hard to believe. I know I know, why would you want to do this, why the question, nobody would do that, etc. But it is something that could be done in practice so what would happen in the name of science if for nothing else?

The deeper why is if there is gold in a sample that is not pure (ie. free or locked up in pyrite) or an alloy then would it show up in the assay report?

But semantics aside, would the gold in the gold chloride powder show up in assay results if you sent the powder in?

 

[Lino1406]

Only one more thought for this delusional article: I hope the bacteria enjoys the chlorine. Gold+3 is the strongest oxidant and it is a piece of cake to reduce it, give it a time and light/heat it will decompose by itself

 

[Lou]

What Lino said.

Gold in trivalent state would not last for any meaningful time geologically. I’d say days!

 

[tonofsteel]

Thanks for the info, when reading this I thought it was strange which is why I asked here. Moving on.....

 

[joekbit]

This is not about your subject but I think the fact that it's about leaching with iodine - iodied and potassium it may have some relevance. It's packed with info in just 7 pages. For anyone thinking of using the process go to the conclusion.

http://dl.uctm.edu/journal/node/j2017-2/22-16_106_L_Lucheva_326_332.pdf

I might have, oh never mind, :lol: just noticed it's in the correct forum