Gold is one of the most precious metals that are increasingly in demand nowadays. But you don’t just find pure gold anywhere. Crude gold contains other impurities and foreign elements that reduce its value and aesthetic appeal. You need to refine them to make them 99.5% pure gold.
Refining gold, however, is not as simple as it sounds. It involves melting the crude gold and treating it with chloride. You need heavy machinery and expert knowledge to extract pure, high-quality gold. But some people make the mistake of making gold refinery a DIY project, which may put their safety at risk. Here’s why you should leave the job to gold refinery companies and professionals in places like Dubai.
Accuracy of testing
When people bring metals to a shop, the metals are tested to make sure that both parties are getting a good deal. But how exactly do you test precious metals? It involves an intricate process and the use of high-end equipment. There are different types of tests as well, such as acid testing, ultrasound, and the fire method. You cannot replicate such testing using home kits that cannot measure the purity and quality of gold.
Lack of equipment
There are specific equipment and materials needed to produce high quality, pure gold. Things like the crucible and high blast furnaces are not the pieces of equipment you can recreate or find a substitute for in your home.
The crucible is a cauldron that can withstand the intense heat and temperatures involved in the gold refining process. It is where the crude gold and iron ore are placed and melted together. No other equipment can withstand the high temperatures involved in the process.
A blast furnace is also something you can’t reconstruct in your home. It requires immense heat and pressurized air. This hot oven burns over 1,300 to 2,000 degrees, which is the temperature required to produce the results. With that, refining oil in your oven will not cut it.
Working with hazardous acids and chemicals
Heat is a critical factor in the gold refinery process. But it also involves working with hazardous acids and chemicals. Specifically, the final steps include the use of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid to separate pure gold from the iron ore. Both of these are highly reactive acids that can eat through objects.
They’re dangerous if not handled properly, so it’s not ideal to utilize them on your own at home. Unless you want a giant sinkhole in your bathtub, it’s best to leave the job to the experts who know exactly how to handle these chemicals.
The process of refining gold may sound simple. But you shouldn’t think that the heat and chemicals will be easy to use and work with. The high temperatures and acids involved in the process all need to be used in high amounts that are not safe for someone who has no knowledge or expertise in a gold refinery.
Finding substitutes or recreating the equipment is also not a viable option because it will reduce the quality of the crude gold instead of purifying it. Because of the safety hazards and intricate processes involved, the best choice is to let the professionals do the work for you.
