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How to Tell Fools Gold From Real Gold With Tests

With the price of gold at nearly $1,500 per ounce as of late March 2011, finding pieces of this precious metal have rarely been so profitable. But not all shiny metallic rocks are gold, and the substance called fool's gold, also known as pyrite, has indeed fooled more than one rock collector. By completing a series of tests, you can tell fool's gold from real gold.

Things You'll Need

Pin
Piece of scrap paper
Small hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Smell the sample in question. Because pyrite is a source sulfur, fool's gold will often smell of sulfur. Sulfur has many odor profiles but can remind you of rotten eggs, natural gas or garlic. Those samples smelling of sulfur are not likely to be gold.
- 2
  Look at the sample in the light, taking care to observe the color and shimmer of the material. Then, cover the sample with a piece of scrap paper, blocking it from the light. Real gold will maintain a similar color profile, while fool's gold will grow duller when placed in the shadow.
- 3
  Examine the shape of the nugget. Gold is most often found in nugget form, while pyrite often has lots of sharp edges and angled surfaces.
- 4
  Stick a pin into the surface of the material. With pressure, pyrite tends to break or crumble. During this test, gold will bend or dent but not break. This malleability is one of the reasons gold is so valuable.
- 5
  Strike the sample with a small hammer. Pyrite will shatter with a hard strike. Gold, on the other hand, will bend or flatten but never break.

Rock Collecting