7/26/2016

3 Ways to Melt Gold - wikiHow

How to Melt Gold

Three Methods:

Getting the Right Equipment

User
Reviewed
Using a Heating Kit

Finding Other Sources of Heat

Maybe you have gold jewelry that you want to melt. Or youre an artist or jewelry designer who wants to create a new design by
melting gold. There are several ways you can melt gold at home although you should always take great care to remain safe when
melting gold because it requires extreme heat.

Method

Getting the Right Equipment

Buy a crucible container to hold the gold as it melts. You need the right equipment to melt gold. A crucible is a
container that is specifically designed to hold gold as it melts because it can withstand the extreme heat.
A crucible is usually made of graphite carbon or clay. Golds melting point is at about 1,943 degrees Fahrenheit,
which means you will need temperatures that hot to melt it. Thus, it's very important that you don't just choose any
container.[1]
In addition to a crucible, you will need a pair of tongs to move the crucible and hold it. These need to be made out
of heat-resistant material.
If you don't have a crucible, a homemade method uses a potato to melt gold instead of a crucible. To use this
method, cut a hole into the potato, and place the gold in it.[2]

Use flux to remove impurities from the gold. Flux is a substance that is mixed with the gold before melting it. It is
often a mixture of borax and sodium carbonate.[3]
You need more flux if the gold is impure. You can use many different formulas for flux mixtures. One method
involves mixing borax and sodium carbonate. Add two pinches per ounce of clean jewelry scrap and more for dirty
scrap. You can use regular ba
baking soda or bicarbonate purchased from the store. When you heat it, it forms
sodium carbonate.[4]
Flux helps hold together the fine gold particles, and it also helps remove impure materials from the gold as it heats.
When using the potato method, add a pinch of borax into the hole in the potato before melting the gold.[5][6]

Be very careful of safety at all times. It can be dangerous to melt gold because of the extreme heat needed to do it.
Consult a professional if you have no training in melting gold at all. You also should find a place in your house to
melt gold that is safe, such as in your garage or a spare room. You will need a work bench to put your materials
on.[7]
Make sure that you wear safety goggles and a face shield to protect your face. You should put heat-resistant gloves
on your hands and wear a heavy apron too.
Never, ever melt down gold near something that is flammable. It can be very dangerous, and you dont want to
cause a fire.

Method

Using a Heating Kit

Buy an electric furnace that is used for melting gold. These are small, high-powered kilns that are specifically
designed to melt precious metals, including gold and silver. You can buy them online.
Some of these electric gold furnaces are pretty affordable. They also allow people to mix previous metals together
(such as gold, silver, copper, aluminum, and so on) and melt them at home. To use them, you will need the same
equipment, including a crucible and flux.
If the gold item also contains small percentages of silver, copper or zinc, the melting point will be lower.[8]

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3 Ways to Melt Gold - wikiHow

Try melting down gold in a 1200-watt microwave. You want to use a microwave that does not have the magnetron
on the top but rather has it on the side or ba
back.[9]
You can buy a microwave gold smelting kit or kiln. You place the kiln on a kiln shelf in the microwave. The crucible
holds the gold while it is being heated and is placed in the kiln, with a lid on top.[10]
Dont use the microwave for cooking food again if you have used it to melt gold, though.[11]

Method

Finding Other Sources of Heat

Try using a propane torch to melt gold. As noted before, you must be extremely careful about safety concerns if
you are going to use a torch. However, a torch will melt gold within a few minutes.[12]
The gold should be placed into a crucible. Then, put the crucible on a fireproof surface, and direct a torch toward
the gold within the crucible. If you add the chemical borax to the gold first, you can melt it at lower temperatures,
which might be needed if youre using a torch.
Be careful to bring the torch down slowly if you have fine powdered gold in the crucible because you could easily
blow it around. Heating the crucible too fast also could crack it. You want to heat it thoroughly and slowly. An oxyacetylene torch will melt the gold faster than propane.[13]
With a torch, hold the flame well above the gold powder and slowly work in a circular motion. Once the powder
begins to heat up and turn red, you can begin to work the torch in slowly until your powder is reduced to a nugget.

Shape your melted gold. You need to decide what you are going to do with the melted gold. Perhaps you want to sell
it in a new form. You could try to make an ingot out of it or another shape, like a gold bar.
ba
Pour the melted gold into the ingot mold or other mold before it hardens. Then, let the gold cool. The mold should be
made from similar material as the crucible
Dont forget to clean up your mess! You never want to leave heat sources unattended or in the reach of children.

Community Q&A
Where can I purchase these supplies?
Try eBay,
Ba for a kit, 2 crucibles, 2 ingots, and a pair of tongs.
wik iH ow
C ontributor

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Helpful

What is and where do you find a crucible?

wik iH ow
C ontributor

A crucible is a pot- or cup-like holder that is made out of material that can withstand extremely high temperatures. You can
order a crucible online at many glass blowing or ceramic stores or at any art and craft store specializing in glass or
ceramic supplies.
Not Helpful

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Helpful

Can gold plating be removed from a ceramic or porcelain bowl?

Yes as long as you don't care much for the bowl. The bowl will crack or pop and is useless after.
wik iH ow
C ontributor

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Will there be any harmful fumes produced when I melt gold?

wik iH ow
C ontributor

Yes. Anytime you're working with these alloys, wear a respirator (painter's mask). You don't always know what's been
bonded with the gold.
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Helpful

Is it possible to ruin the gold with melting?

wik iH ow
C ontributor

No. Gold is an element on the periodic table, and since it is in its most ba
basic form, it cannot be destroyed. Be aware,
however, that you can ruin a piece of jewelry or a shape that the gold has been formed into if you melt it. The gold itself will
always remain gold.

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3 Ways to Melt Gold - wikiHow

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Warnings
24 karat gold is very malleable. If you need to make it stronger, alloy it with another metal.
Melting gold takes skill, so you could check with a professional before you try it.

Things You'll Need

Gold
oxy-Acetylene or oxy-propane torch
crucible tongs
crucible
borax flux

Sources and Citations

1. http://www.sellgoldhq.com/melting-down-jewelry-at-home/
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeDEW0bNEX8
3. http://goldvalue.co/how-to-smelt-gold-at-home/

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