Impure gold tends to be brittle. The impurities in the gold cause the metal to break, crack when manipulated in any way. For example if you were to take a hammer to 23 carrot gold, the gold may not easily pound out to a nice flat shape. The gold will most likely break or even shatter. This is because of the impurities in the gold. Lead for example, will cause this challenge.
The gold needs to be refined to become more pure. The less impurities in the gold, the softer and more malleable the gold is. Pure 24 carrot gold can be struck with a hammer and the gold will simply flatten. This property of gold is one of the reasons that is become so popular in currency, and in trading. The precious metal is beautiful, and can be easily formed into jewelry and coins.
The purification process involves melting the gold into liquid, leaving the impurities behind and then separating the liquid gold away from the impurity. This was traditionally done by fire at the exact temperature where gold melts. Modern chemistry has taught us the various acids that can melt gold, and also reduce and break down other substances. Acid is the approached used today.
The refining process is repeated multiple times, until eventually the liquid gold is so pure that when poured into a shape it dries and become a beautiful gold color and incredibly soft and pliable for a metal.
And so we have our lesson for today. What if we consider our future state as pure form of gold, beautiful, exquisite, able to bend without breaking. To achieve that state, we must go though the refining process. Fire and acid. Repeat. Repeat Repeat. What is your fire and acid?
Guy Reams
