Elements of the Theory and Practice of Chymistry, 5th ed.

by Pierre Joseph Macquer

It is certain that aqua regis is the true solvent of Gold, and that it does not touch Silver: so that if the Gold dissolved in it were alloyed with Silver, which is often the case, the two metals would by this means be pretty accurately separated from each other. But if you desire to obtain from this solution a Gold absolutely pure, you must free it, before you dissolve it, from every other metallic substance but Silver; because aqua regis acts upon most of the other metals and the semi-metals. We shall shew under the head of Silver, as we promised before, how to purify a mass of Gold and Silver from every other metallic alloy. Thither also we refer the common parting assay performed by means of aqua fortis: because in that operation the Silver is dissolved, and not the Gold.

If the Gold put to dissolve in aqua regis be pure, the dissolution is easily and readily effected. But if, on the contrary, it be alloyed with Silver, the aqua regis finds more difficulty in dissolving it. Nay, if the Silver exceed the Gold in quantity, the dissolution will not take place at all, for the reasons adduced in our Theoretical Elements; of which we shall speak more fully when we come to treat of the Parting Assay.

In the process we directed the Gold to be dissolved in a tall body. This precaution is necessary to prevent the loss of some part thereof: for it is the property of aqua regis to carry off along with it some of the Gold, especially when there is any Sal Ammoniac in its composition, if the vessel be heated while the dissolution is going on, or if the aqua regis be very strong. Yet it is proper to make use of aqua regis that is too strong rather than too weak: for if it prove too strong, and be observed not to act upon the metal for that reason, it is easy to weaken it, by gradually adding small quantities of pure water, till you perceive it begin to act with vigour. This is a general rule regarding all metallic dissolutions in Acids.

When the solution of Gold is evaporated to dryness, if you desire to reduce into a mass the Gold dust left at the bottom of the cucurbit, you must put it into a crucible, and cover it with pulverized borax, mixed with a little nitre and calcined wine-lees; then cover the crucible close, heat it with a moderate fire, which must be afterwards increased so as to melt the contents. At the bottom of the crucible you will find a lump of Gold, over which the salts you added will be as it were vitrified. These salts are added chiefly to promote the fusion of the metal.

The Gold may, if you will, be separated from its solvent without evaporating the solution as above directed. You need only mix with the solution a fixed or volatile Alkali by little and little, till you see no more precipitate fall, and then let the liquor stand to settle, at the bottom of which you will find a sediment: filter the whole, and dry what is left on the filter.

Both fixed and volatile Alkalis possessing, as hath been frequently repeated, a greater affinity with Acids than metallic substances have, they precipitate the Gold, and separate it from the Acids in which it is dissolved: but it is of great consequence to take notice, that, if you attempt to melt this precipitated Gold in a crucible, it will fulminate as soon as it feels the heat, with such a terrible explosion, that, if the quantity be at all considerable, it may prove fatal to the operator: even rubbing it a little hard will make it blow up. This preparation is therefore called Aurum Fulminans.

Hitherto no satisfactory explanation hath been given of this phenomenon. Some Chymists considering, that, in the precipitation of the Gold, a Nitre is regenerated by the union of the Alkali with the Nitrous Acid which enters into the composition of the aqua regis, imagine that some of this regenerated Nitre, combining with the precipitated Gold, takes fire and detonates, either by means of some small portion of Phlogiston that may be contained in the Alkali, or by means of that which constitutes the Gold itself. But, in the first place, it is well known that Fixed Alkalis do not contain Phlogiston enough to make Nitre detonate. Indeed, if a Volatile Alkali be employed in the precipitation, a Nitrous Ammoniacal Salt will be formed, containing Phlogiston enough to be capable of detonating without the concourse of any additional Phlogiston: but this detonation of the Nitrous Ammoniacal Salt is not to be compared, as to the violence of its effects, with the fulmination of Gold. Besides, we do not find that Gold precipitated by a Volatile Alkali explodes with greater force than that precipitated by a Fixed Alkali. As for the Gold, it is certain that it suffers no decomposition at all by fulminating. When fulminated under a glass bell, in such small quantities as not to endanger the operator, the Gold is found scattered about under the bell in very fine particles, without having undergone any alteration.

Others have fancied this fulmination of the Gold to be nothing but the decrepitation of the Sea-salt that is regenerated, in the precipitation of the metal, by the Fixed Alkali uniting with the Acid of Sea-salt which makes part of the aqua regis. But to this it may be said, that Gold precipitated by a Volatile Alkali fulminates as violently as that precipitated by a Fixed Alkali; and yet no sea-salt can be formed in the liquor by the addition of a Volatile Alkali, but only a Sal Ammoniac which has not the property of decrepitating. Moreover, there is no comparison, as to the effects, between the decrepitation of Sea-salt and the fulmination of Gold.

Nor, lastly, can this fulmination be attributed, as it is by some, to the effort made by the Salts to escape from amidst the particles of Gold, in which they are supposed by them to be imprisoned: for then we might deprive this Gold entirely of its fulminating quality by only boiling it in water, and so washing off all the saline particles, which probably adhere to its surface only. It is plain there is great room for very beautiful discoveries on this subject. In Walerius's Mineralogy we find some observations that may throw a little light on the point before us.

"The quantity," says he, "of fulminating Gold precipitated exceeds that of the Gold dissolved: if the aqua regis be made with Sal Ammoniac the explosion will be stronger; it will also be more violent if the solution be precipitated with a Volatile Alkali, than if a Fixed Alkali be used for that purpose."