Gold vapour deposition

Jewelry Discussion
1

I have just been given several ounces (nice!) of gold from a ‘vapour
deposition’ system used in a university geology lab. I have no idea
if this is pure or what - any suggestions apart from chucking it in
my next refining batch (that could be quite a while). This gold has
not been deposited, I get the impression it is the remnants of the
electrodes when new ones were put in. Andy Parker, Agate House
Lapidary Ulverston, Cumbria, England @Andy_Parker
www.agatehouse.co.uk Tel: 01229 584023

2

Andy: you can melt the gold in to one large homogenous mass, drill a
core sample and send approximately .5 to 1 gram of the drilled
sample to an assayer and know exactly the content of metals
including anything such as cadmium or worse. As opposed to melting
just cut of about the same .5 to 1gr. that way if it does contain
cadmium you will have a minimum exposure, since they came from the
same source and are used in a scientific process they are probably consistant.

3

If you melt it up into a lump you can send it to whichever assay
office you use asking them for a special assay with figures - this
will tell you the fine gold content.

you can then either sell it for scrap based on the figures or alloy
it yourself into whatever karat you need - nice gift!!

Did you ever sort the casting gear out?

Mike

4 
    I have just been given several ounces (nice!) of gold from a
'vapour deposition' system used in a university geology lab. I have
no idea if this is pure or what - any suggestions apart from
chucking it in my next refining batch (that could be quite a
while). This gold has not been deposited, I get the impression it
is the remnants of the electrodes when new ones were put in. Andy
Parker, Agate House Lapidary Ulverston, Cumbria, England
andy@agatehouse.co.uk www.agatehouse.co.uk Tel: 01229 584023

Difficult to know for sure, of course, but Typically any chemical or
metal used in a vapor deposition system is very high purity. Expensive, too!

5

I suspect you have gold targets that were used in a sputtering
system for coating electron microscopy specimens, or something
similar. This is usually fine gold and will probably be about 99%
pure or better, and quite soft. Because of this purity it is costed
at a premium by the instrument suppliers - the university would have
originally paid well over bullion prices for it. It’s probably too
soft to fabricate with, but since it’s so pure you could melt it up
and alloy it, then roll it into sheet, or use it for casting.

Clive Washington
Atlantica Jewellery

6

Clive

   I suspect you have gold targets that were used in a sputtering
system for coating electron microscopy specimens, or something

That’s the phrase that was escaping me - coating a specimen for
examination in some fancy magnification device was as far as I got.

I know I could assay but it’s 25UKP - about 40 USD a pop (yeah I
know, free gold but I’m mean OK). Orchid turns up trumps again!

Andy Parker, Agate House Lapidary
Ulverston, Cumbria, England
@Andy_Parker
www.agatehouse.co.uk
Tel: 01229 584023