Gold testing - life of acids

HOW LONG DO THE ACIDS LAST?
Acids for testing precious metals. How long do gold-testing acids last? How should they be stored?

ACIDS SHELF LIFE / USE-BY DATES

Use-by dates will give you the following number of months, from the time we dispatch the bottles:

• 18 or 19 months for white(9ct) and blue(high carat)
• 16 or 17 months for amber(silver)
• 13 or 14 months for green(white metals)
• 10 or 11 months for clear(8ct/high zinc)

NOTES

Any trader who buys gold regularly will use up the acid long before the use-by date.

 Acids will last until at least the use-by date if stored correctly. Keep them tightly capped when not in use, store them in their secure box (out of the light, especially the clear fluid), avoid extreme heat (e.g. a sunlit window or a hot car), do not mix up the caps.

Acids don't suddenly go off on the use-by date, the reactions become slower over the months and years, so you may wish to continue using them until the reaction times become painfully slow or until you get misleading results. It is, of course, better to get fresh bottles rather than wait until they are so old that you get misleading results.

If you are using or storing more than one bottle, take care to use up the oldest first.

If you are a wholesaler or if you are buying in bulk and sending the bottles out to your stores, take care to sell / send the oldest first.

We are the manufacturers, we will always send you bottles from the latest batch, but we cannot replace outdated bottles, even if you have only used them a few times.