Distinguishing between legally and illegally produced gold in South Africa
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Date
Authors
Roberts, R.J. (James)
Dixon, Roger D.
Merkle, R.K.W. (Roland Karl Willi), 1954-
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)
Abstract
The identification of gold-bearing material is essential for combating the theft of gold
in South Africa. Material seized in police operations is generally a mixture of gold
from different mines, and as such cannot be traced back to a single location. ICP-OES
analysis of material dissolved by acid dissolution provided a database of gold
compositions comprising gold from South African mines, illegal gold stolen from the
mines, and commercial gold alloys and jewelery. Discrimination between legal and
illegal gold was possible due to the presence of Pb, As, Sb, Sn, Se, and Te in the
stolen material, elements which are not present in legally produced gold. The presence
of these elements is a quick and simple way to distinguish between gold alloys based
on refined gold, such as in commercially manufactured jewelery, and gold alloys
containing a proportion of unrefined and therefore illegally obtained gold.
Description
Keywords
Identification, Gold-bearing material, South African mines, South Africa (SA), Theft of gold, Illegally obtained gold, Legally obtained gold
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Roberts, RJ, Dixon, RD & Merkle, RKW 2016, 'Distinguishing between legally and illegally produced gold in South Africa', Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 61, suppl. 1, pp. 230-236.