- Strong Nitric Acid (36°), 39 parts.
- Muriatic Acid, 1 part.
- Water, 20 parts.
TEST FOR SILVER.
- 24 grains Nitre of Silver.
- 30 drops Nitric Acid.
- 1 ounce Water.
The above tests should be taken in conjunction with Diameter, Thickness, and Weight, the tests used at the Mint.
GLOSSARY.
Terms used in treating of Bullion, Mints, Coinage, and Money.
Assaying.—Chemical analysis of metals or ores. This term is employed in reference to mints and coinage, refers particularly to the process for determining the component parts and relative proportions of a mixed alloy of gold and silver, or the various alloys used for the manufacture of minor coins.
Refining.—Extract of base from precious metals; usually performed by the aid of heat and oxidizing fluxes.
Parting.—The separation of gold and silver when the two metals compose an alloy, either native or artificial, for the purpose of obtaining the metals, respectively, in the form of fine bars. This is accomplished, first, by dissolving the silver with acids and subsequently precipitating; or, second, by converting silver into chloride by heat and chlorine gas, and then reducing the chloride to a metallic state.
Alloying.—Compounding two or more metals together in suitable or legal proportions for coinage. Gold and silver are alloyed with copper for standard coins, and alloys are variously made of nickel and copper, or of copper, tin, and zinc for minor coins.
Fine Bars.—Gold and silver bars resulting from the operations of parting and refining. Bars containing 99 per cent. of pure metal are generally considered as fine bars.