Using Nitric Acid to Determine Metal Help?!?

[rsk1963]

So I got a new batch of rings (I know, I just stopped pricing down the last lot). None the less I used 10K nitric acid solution on a old school class ring. It turned blood red with marginal white whispy smoke . There are no markings of merit, anyone know what kind of metals will yeild these results?

Thanks so much.

[stlouiscoin]

my grandpa and grandma used to own a company that sold kits to i.d. metals... I.D.Q.(Identification Damn Quick) metals. I'll see if they know anything about that^

[rsk1963]

awesome thanks very much

[Dr. Cadmium]

The way most gold testing solutions work is that the 10K solution will do nothing to gold that's 10K or higher.

If your ring is changing colors and smoking when the 10K solution is dripped on it, it's made of something other than gold, or may only be gold plated.

I'm not sure what metal produces that exact result with nitric acid, "blood red" is unusual and may be because of an indicator in that particular solution. The only metal I know that turns blood-red is silver, when a silver-testing solution is used.

The surface of nickel-silver will turn pink after being exposed to nitric acid and then wiping it away or rinsing, but the solution itself will turn blue-green and give off some smoke.

[rsk1963]

The way most gold testing solutions work is that the 10K solution will do nothing to gold that's 10K or higher.

If your ring is changing colors and smoking when the 10K solution is dripped on it, it's made of something other than gold, or may only be gold plated.

I'm not sure what metal produces that exact result with nitric acid, "blood red" is unusual and may be because of an indicator in that particular solution. The only metal I know that turns blood-red is silver, when a silver-testing solution is used.

The surface of nickel-silver will turn pink after being exposed to nitric acid and then wiping it away or rinsing, but the solution itself will turn blue-green and give off some smoke.

I knew that red is an indicator when used with silver testing solution. but I used 10K (just to figure out what it was) i.e. blue/green would indicate a base metal of some degree. but the beet/blood red color threw me for a loop.