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How to Make a Gold Tester

Gold is very heavy, possessing one of the highest specific gravities of all elements. Nevertheless, deciding what is and isn't gold can be a challenge, because a few other rocks and minerals in nature look similar. So there is a need sometimes to make a gold tester or otherwise come up with ways to test for gold.

Things You'll Need

Piece of gold
Unglazed porcelain tile
Glass
Magnet
Rubber gloves
Protective eye goggles
Hydrochloric acid

Instructions

- 1
  Rub your gold across an unglazed porcelain tile. If the stone is indeed gold, the streak should be yellowish gold in color.
- 2
  Try scratching a piece of glass with a piece of what you think is gold. It should not be able to scratch the glass if it is gold.
- 3
  Put your gold near a magnet. If the magnet is not attracted to it, it’s pure gold. If it attracts a little, there are probably other metals mixed in with it.
- 4
  Put on protective eye goggles and rubber gloves. Drop a little hydrochloric acid onto what you think is gold. The gold should not dissolve. If it does, or if parts of it dissolve, then there are probably at least other metals mixed in with it.

Rocks & Minerals