Is Gold Magnetic?
Gold is a precious metal element that does not contain any ferrous materials, making pure gold non-magnetic and unaffected by magnetic fields. In its pure form, gold is both inert and malleable, which can limit its practicality and durability for commercial applications. To enhance these qualities, gold is often alloyed with harder and more cost-effective metals. These alloys may include other precious or noble metals, as well as ferrous or non-ferrous metals, with those containing ferrous materials potentially exhibiting some magnetic properties.
Metals that can be alloyed with gold include silver, copper, nickel, iron, zinc, tin, manganese, cadmium, and titanium. The inclusion of certain metals can result in a paramagnetic gold alloy, which displays slight magnetic properties. The gold content in an alloy is measured in karats, with pure gold being classified as 24 karat. For instance, an alloy containing 50% gold and 50% of another metal is rated as 12 karat. This karat system is commonly used to assess the value and classification of gold jewelry and ingots.
