Gold alloy can be magnetic, depending on the metals mixed with the gold and their proportions.
While pure gold on its own does not magnetize or stick to a magnet, the properties change when gold is alloyed with other metals. Gold alloys are created by mixing gold with metals like copper, silver, nickel, palladium, or iron to enhance properties such as hardness, durability, or color.
How Gold Alloy Becomes Magnetic
The magnetic properties of a gold alloy are primarily determined by the presence and concentration of ferromagnetic metals added to the mix. According to information available:
- Inclusion of Magnetic Metals: When about 20% of it is replaced with a metal like iron, the gold alloy may stick to a magnet or exhibit other magnetic properties. Iron is a ferromagnetic metal, meaning it can be strongly magnetized.
- Proportion Matters: The amount of the magnetic metal included is crucial. A small amount might not make the alloy noticeably magnetic, but a higher concentration, such as the around 20% mentioned for iron, can result in the alloy showing magnetic behavior.
- Other Metals: While iron is a strong example, other metals used in gold alloys, like nickel or cobalt, can also influence magnetic properties if present in sufficient quantities. Common jewelry alloys (like 14k or 18k white or yellow gold) often contain metals like copper, silver, and zinc, which are not strongly magnetic, making these common alloys typically non-magnetic or only very weakly magnetic.
In Summary
Therefore, whether a gold alloy is magnetic depends entirely on its composition. An alloy with a significant percentage of a magnetic metal like iron is likely to be magnetic, whereas alloys composed primarily of non-magnetic metals mixed with gold will not exhibit magnetic properties.
