Cross posted to sci.engr.metallurgy

In a discussion on another site, a metallurgy question came up.

(Quoted on http://haprozdor.blogspot.com/2008/0...lden-calf.html.
See there for his suggestion.)


The Bible (Exodus 32:20) recounts that Moses burned, then ground the
Golden Calf. One commentator (Ibn Ezra) states that 'burned' doesn't
mean 'melted' as one might have thought (given that the Calf was
Gold), but that there is a substance that when inserted into a fire
with gold makes it irreversibly black. Does anyone know what this
substance is?


Thanks for your help,
Michael Kopinsky

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:50:12 -0800 (PST), Mkop
wrote:

Cross posted to sci.engr.metallurgy

In a discussion on another site, a metallurgy question came up.

(Quoted on http://haprozdor.blogspot.com/2008/0...lden-calf.html.
See there for his suggestion.)


The Bible (Exodus 32:20) recounts that Moses burned, then ground the
Golden Calf. One commentator (Ibn Ezra) states that 'burned' doesn't
mean 'melted' as one might have thought (given that the Calf was
Gold), but that there is a substance that when inserted into a fire
with gold makes it irreversibly black. Does anyone know what this
substance is?


Thanks for your help,
Michael Kopinsky

==========

Assuming this was an actual event, and not an allegorical tale,
my best guess is that it was a carved wooden idol covered with
gold. Given the situation where/when the idol was supposed to
have been created, it is doubtful if there was enough gold to
make a solid gold statue of any size, but most likely enough [ear
rings?] to beat into something like gold leaf to cover an idol of
moderate size. This was a well known technique at the time as
evidenced by recovered Egyptian artifacts/ tomb goods from the
period. A hollow wooden statue would have burned well and would
have been lighter for transport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_calf
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06628b.htm

Mkop wrote:
Cross posted to sci.engr.metallurgy

In a discussion on another site, a metallurgy question came up.

(Quoted on http://haprozdor.blogspot.com/2008/0...lden-calf.html.
See there for his suggestion.)


The Bible (Exodus 32:20) recounts that Moses burned, then ground the
Golden Calf. One commentator (Ibn Ezra) states that 'burned' doesn't
mean 'melted' as one might have thought (given that the Calf was
Gold), but that there is a substance that when inserted into a fire
with gold makes it irreversibly black. Does anyone know what this
substance is?

This seems a little unlikely, as gold is so unreactive. It might just
have been soot, although soot could be cleaned off with some effort.

Best wishes,

Chris

It has been a few years but I have done several hundred assays. I have
noticed lead with some other elements can be ground up. I have thought
that if I had some gold and wanted to hide it, I could mix it with
lead and I think a little sulfer heat and cool it and hit it with a
hammer and I THINK it will look like portland cement. Cast a few
bricks with it. When I want to sell it, smelt it back out and I have
my GOLD back. I think many hidden treasures out there are hidden this
way as an alloy or a metal salt.

To answer your question alloy gold with some other metal turn it to
a metal salt and it could be drank. How do you make iron brittle?
You might can answer your own question. Gold purposely made impure
could easily be made into a powder. It would be the opposite of
refining.

Scott in Texas