Typically, powerful magnets are designed to find precious metals. A search magnet reacts to gold and silver quite strongly, and although it is difficult to find them in their pure form, its power is enough to pick up jewelry and coins from the ground. The main goal of all search engines is treasures, expensive coins, and sometimes just ferrous metal.
The article will describe the structure of the magnet and the basic principle of operation. He will also figure out what exactly can be found with its help and how to find expensive alloys. It will be explained in detail what ferromagnets, paramagnets and diamagnetic materials are. In addition, valuable tips and recommendations will be given that will greatly simplify the search for valuable items.
Magnetic field and metals that conduct it
A magnetic field is a force that can influence electric charges, atomic nuclei, and simplest particles. This is matter that arises from the interaction of particles that have their own charge. All substances react to this field, and some emit it.
Depending on the reaction, the substances are distinguished:
- Ferromagnetic materials react to fields and retain magnetization. Thus, they themselves begin to emit their own field.
- Paramagnetic materials - the electrons in their composition react to a magnetic field so weakly that such a reaction can only be detected using special measurements. Such substances include platinum, aluminum, oxygen.
- Diamagnets are substances that do not attract, but, on the contrary, repel from a magnet, exhibiting negative susceptibility. Diamagnets include copper, water, carbon, gold, and silver. Most substances known to science are diamagnetic.
Test with black bread
The method is safe (for real gold!), but slow. Take the crumb of black bread, remember, mix with water and stick the mixture onto the product. Leave it until the bread crumb turns into a dry crust, then break it apart.
If there are dark traces inside the crumb, it means the fake has oxidized. If not, then it is either gold or good gilding.
Design and types
Finders take advantage of the ability of some metals to interact with a strong magnetic field by using special search magnets in their searches. More often this is a simple design that contains the rare earth metal neodymium, enclosed in a steel case.
Depending on the scope of application, devices are produced:
- in the form of a rod for simplified access to narrow crevices and other hard-to-reach places;
- trawls that allow you to effectively examine the bottom of water bodies;
- one-sided, designed for lifting objects, equipped with a housing that shields magnetic radiation, providing one working surface;
- double-sided, suitable for universal work.
Principle of operation
A neodymium magnet forms a field that allows it to attract objects that exceed the weight of the search device by tens of times, depending on its size and power. This device works great both in air and under water.
Working with the device is simple - just attach it to a rope and lower it to where the item you are looking for is supposed to be located. Under the influence of a magnetic field, metal objects “stick” to the device and can be removed to the surface.
Question-answer section
They gave me a set of jewelry, I checked it with a magnet, and they are attracted. What to do? How else can you check whether it is gold or not?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
As a rule, if an original ring, bracelet or other gold element is attracted by a magnet, this indicates the presence of components in the alloy that are highly susceptible to a magnetic field. It is important to remember that home testing methods cannot guarantee the originality of the metal.
Differences from a metal detector
The operating principle of a metal detector is also based on electromagnetic radiation, however, this device does not attract metals to itself, but captures echoes of the “response” of substances to the field it emits. If there is metal in the ground or water, the device gives a signal. Further work on retrieving objects falls on the person.
The magnet does not provide any information, but simply “attracts” to itself those objects that it is capable of influencing.
Can you attract silver and gold?
Precious metals are diamagnetic, so they cannot be extracted using a magnet. An exception may be objects that contain parts made of ferromagnetic metals, and such a part must be voluminous enough to be attracted.
You should not rely on the device to magnetize precious alloys. As a rule, the proportion of ferromagnets in the composition of the alloy is extremely small.
If you want to search only for precious metals, you are better off purchasing a metal detector.
Draw with lapis pencil
A lapis pencil is needed to stop the bleeding. This is an antiseptic based on silver nitrate, it can be bought at a pharmacy, it costs about 100-150 rubles.
To check the authenticity of gold, soak the item in water. Then, using a lapis pencil, draw a small line over the wet one and wipe it off.
Lapis does not react with gold, but does react with other metals. If a trace remains, then the gold is fake or of very low standard. Nothing will happen to genuine metal.
Advantages and disadvantages
The indisputable advantage of a magnet is its ease of use:
- it does not require special storage conditions; you should, perhaps, avoid heating it above 80 degrees;
- does not need recharging;
- has a very simple design;
- takes up little space.
The disadvantage is that it cannot be used to extract gold, silver, and their alloys, including nuggets.
Another thing is metal detectors. The advantage of modern metal detectors is their ability not only to find, but also to distinguish which metal is within its coverage area. How does this feature work? This was made possible thanks to the use of a computer in the design of the device, which analyzes all incoming signals, reacting to the smallest changes.
Test with vinegar
Tell the seller that you will test the gold with vinegar. Are you nervous? There’s no need to run to the grocery store anymore. But a professional who is confident in his product will not sweat it.
Fake gold quickly darkens in vinegar - just pour a little into a glass and hold the metal in it for about five minutes. But real high-grade metal doesn’t care about anything.
Tips for choosing
In addition to their shape, the devices also differ in the strength of the radiation and the method of attaching the cable.
Experienced treasure hunters are advised to choose powerful double-sided magnets, since they are universal and easy to use, although they are more expensive.
Weight and ammunition
Any tool is most effective if it is selected in accordance with the task at hand. The choice of magnet is no exception. To begin with, you should decide what items it will be used to search for, and based on this, select the appropriate device.
It should be taken into account that the higher the power of the magnet, the greater its mass and cost. The optimal option is 400 kilograms. This is not the weight of the magnet, but the weight it can lift!
In addition to the magnet itself, you will need a cable with which the search device can be lowered to the bottom of the reservoir. It is better to choose ammunition with a large margin of safety, exceeding the power of the magnet itself, in order to avoid ruptures and loss of the device. Finding him later is almost impossible.
Review of popular devices and their prices
The most well-known magnet manufacturers offer devices of varying power and cost:
- NPK Supersystem produces a wide range of magnets. A device capable of lifting a weight of about 90 kg will cost about 700 rubles. For a very powerful double-sided copy, designed for 690 kg, you will have to pay more than 7,000 rubles.
- CJSC NPO Redmag produces magnets with a capacity of 600 kg and a cost of 3-5.5 thousand rubles.
- Magnets made in China are also very popular. A device with a capacity of 600 kg can be purchased for 4900 rubles, devices with a capacity of 300 kg are sold at a price of 2700-2800 rubles.
How to assemble and set up a magnet with your own hands
Making a magnet at home is not an easy task if you don't have neodymium supplies on hand. But building an electromagnet using not a rare ferromagnet, but an electric field, is quite simple.
Required Components
To build an electromagnet you will need:
- iron for the core (nail, lock shackle);
- copper insulated wire;
- source of electric current (battery, accumulator);
- connecting wire;
- soldering iron
Assembly sequence
Copper wire is wound tightly, neatly, in one direction, onto the core. If a regular AA battery is used as the power source, you can connect it directly to the ends of the winding. For power supplies and batteries, it is necessary to solder the connecting wires (twisting and insulation are also allowed).
See the assembly visually in the video:
conclusions
If you buy gold secondhand or from an unverified store, use as many methods as possible to ensure the authenticity of the product. The main thing is not to try too hard, so as not to spoil the soft metal.
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