[Jewelry making - Article 00225] - Re: [Orchid] Accidental Copper Plated Gold

[James Binnion]

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    Aqua Regia is a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids not nitric
    acid and water. What you made is sometimes referred to as a bright
    dip and will indeed remove the copper plating but it also dissolves
    the silver as well! Aqua Regia has little effect on high silver
    alloys as the hydrochloric acid in it converts the silver to silver
    chloride which is not soluable in aqua regia and stops the acids
    action on the piece. The silver chloride formation also slows and
    eventually stops the aqua regia action on 18k yellow gold and leaves
    it coated with a whitish layer of silver chloride. 

Jim

James Binnion
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
James Binnion Metal Arts
http://www.mokume-gane.com
360-756-6550
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