Test Methods To Find Gold Content (Fineness)
There are a number of methods for measuring the gold content - or ‘fineness’ - of carat gold jewellery.
Measuring the gold content is known as assaying and many of the most commonly
used methods are described in a recent World Gold Council technical publication
‘The Assaying and Refining of Gold - a guide for the gold jewellery producer’.
Which method of measurement is
selected depends on the accuracy of measurement needed and the speed and ease
of measurement. The cost of the equipment (instrument) will also influence the
decision.
01) Fire Assay (ISO 11426:1993)
The most accurate method, with
an accuracy of 2-3 parts per ten thousand (0.02%), is the Fire Assay
(Cupellation) method. This involves taking a small scraping from the article,
typically about 250 milligrammes, weighing it accurately, wrapping it in lead
foil with some added silver, cupelling it in in a furnace at about 1100°C to
remove all base metals and then placing the resulting gold-silver alloy button
in nitric acid to dissolve out the silver (known as ‘parting’) and re-weighing
the resulting pure gold. This is the standard reference technique used by the
national Assay laboratories worldwide for Hallmarking and is covered in the
International Standard, ISO 11426:1993. A good description of the process is
given in an article in Gold Technology, No 3, January 1991.
A simplification of this
technique involves omitting the initial cupellation stage and just melting the
sample with added silver and/or copper, rolling to a thin sheet and then
dissolving out the silver and base metals with nitric acid. This is
satisfactory only when there are no other impurities present, but will be less
accurate.
(02) X-ray fluorescence
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a
non-destructive technique that is suitable for normal assaying requirements
such as in-house quality control in manufacturing or for ‘certifying’ gold
content in retail outlets. It has an accuracy of, typically, 2-5 parts per
thousand under good conditions, i.e. where the surface of the jewellery being
measured is relatively flat and sufficiently large. On curved surfaces, the
gold X-rays generated and measured are scattered and accuracy is reduced
significantly. It is a quick technique, an assay taking about 3 minutes, and
the results can be automatically printed out by the computer. It also measures
the content of the other alloying metals present. However, it only measures the
gold content of a thin surface layer, so accuracy is severely compromised where
the jewellery article has had a chemical surface treatment (to enhance colour)
or has been electroplated with a layer of pure gold.
The more accurate XRF
instruments measure the intensity of the generated gold X-rays by wavelength
dispersion analysis. The use of energy dispersive analysers results in cheaper
instruments but reduced accuracy. Reference alloy standards, of known
composition close to that of the test piece, are needed if accuracy is required
in XRF testing.
There are several instruments
appearing on the market developed specifically for gold jewellery assaying,
such as the X-tester, and these are more reasonably priced. A major retailer in
(03) Touchstone testing
Touchstone testing is an ancient
method for measuring gold content whereby a rubbing of the jewellery is made on
a special touchstone alongside rubbings of known reference samples and treated
with acids. The colour of the reacted area is compared to that of the reference
sample. It is not sufficiently accurate (about 15 parts per thousand at best)
and is only useful as a sorting test to differentiate between different
caratages. It is less accurate at high caratages and with white golds. A more
detailed description of the technique can also be found in Gold Technology, No
3, January 1991.
(04) Gold Testing Pen
The Electronic Gold Tester (or
the so-called Gold Pen) is a cheap, although portable technique based on the
capacitance decay principle. Accuracy is poor, being correct to only 1-2 carats
(4-8%) and is compromised if the surface is gold-plated, for example. It is
useful only as a sorting test.
(05) Density Measurement
The density of carat golds
reduces as caratage is lowered and this gives rise to density measurement as a
possible method of measuring gold content, using Archimedes principle. However,
density is also influenced by the other alloying constituents and so the
accuracy of the method is poor. Jewellery containing defects such as porosity
would further reduce the accuracy of density measurement. It is not
recommended by world Gold Council.
Comparison of Assaying Techniques
Technique |
Versatility |
Sample size |
Accuracy |
Limitations |
Equipment Cost |
Fire Assay |
Only gold |
~ 250 mg |
0.02% |
Modifications for |
Moderate $50,000 |
ICP |
Complete analysis |
~20 mg |
0.1% |
- |
High |
XRF |
Complete analysis |
Non-destructive |
0.1 - 0.5% |
Surface layer, flat samples |
Moderate $25,000+ |
Touchstone |
Only gold |
Almost non-destructive |
1-2% |
Unsuitable for |
Low |
Electronic Pen |
Only gold |
Non- destructive |
4-8% |
Not consistent |
Low |
Density |
Only gold |
Non-destructive |
Poor |
Only for binary alloys |
Low |
For high accuracy, consistent
with marking/Hallmarking regulations, only Fire Assay is sufficient. This technique involve taking a physical sample (a scraping) from
the jewellery item.
For good accuracy, X-ray
Fluorescence (XRF) analysis is suitable. Accuracy depends on the shape (geometry)
of the item; it is best on flat surfaces. This technique is suitable for
quality control in production and for certifying caratage conformance in a
retail environment. It is a quick technique (3-4 mins) and does not require
technical expertise to operate. Results are automatically displayed/printed out
by the computer control. Suitable bench-top instruments developed specifically
for jewellery use are available on the market. Reference standards are
necessary.
For sorting jewellery into
different caratages, then the touchstone and electronic gold pens are suitable
cheap, quick techniques.
Density measurement not recommended to certifying gold caratage..
Source : WORLD GOLD COUNCIL
No comments: