Testing for silver

Icewing · Dec 28, 2015

Ok I have raised this topic more than once, but now I have acid for testing silver. So I thought I would ask the pros for a bit of help in learning how to read my results.

Here is a nugget I picked up that most assume is junk. I ground a spot clean on my bench grinder revealing a shiny clean metal. I applied a drop of the test acid and the metal instantly turns black. Does this confirm silver?

bodkin · Dec 28, 2015

Is it Nitric acid?

gldndrms · Dec 28, 2015

The silver testing acid I use turns red if it is silver.

garviso8 · Dec 28, 2015

gldndrms said:
The silver testing acid I use turns red if it is silver.

x2

Icewing · Dec 28, 2015

Ok I filed it down and did it again.... You can see where it fizzed up on the crusty outside as it ran down. After I applied the platinum test acid and it didn't do much buck make it so that I could rub off the black from the silver test.

Ice Scratcher · Dec 28, 2015

You know that stuff is dangerous right, like that paper towel won't keep it from eating your table top, or pants/skin..

That silver acid is meant to be used on a tile or stone that has been loaded up with the material to be tested..

<°)))>{

woodstock · Dec 28, 2015

Ok heres a list ..

Silver testing :

0.999 pure will turn birght red

0.925 - creamy white

0.800 - brown

0.500 - green

And that's right off the card from my kit . I hope it help's , Woodstock

Icewing · Dec 28, 2015

Ice Scratcher said:
You know that stuff is dangerous right, like that paper towel won't keep it from eating your table top, or pants/skin..

That silver acid is meant to be used on a tile or stone that has been loaded up with the material to be tested..

<°)))>{

That paper towel was just a white background to make for a better picture, worry not I'm still in one piece.
My kit says dark red is pure, and so on. I'm just asking what I should make of what you see in the photos? Dark Red over black (scratch stone) would also appear black, would it not?
The light weight shiny pieces I asked about before did not react to the acid at all. So I assume those are indeed aluminum. These heavy dark ones make the acid bubble and the metal turns black.

Testing for silver

Icewing

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bodkin

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gldndrms

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garviso8

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Icewing

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Ice Scratcher

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woodstock

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Icewing

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