This is a point that indicates the reason of the red tint on the discs - it also suggests that the red is inherent and comes to the surface".

The appended note:- "Generally speaking, owing to the high melting point of iron, this metal may be alloyed with either pure gold or pure silver with great difficulty; but if all three metals are present in the original ore, these combined metals will melt into an alloy at a much lower temperature than the melting point of iron."

"When iron is alloyed with gold, even in very minute proportions, a reddish brown stain or iridescence generally appears on the face of the molten metal owing to oxidation; and unless special methods are used to prevent access of air, this reddish iridescence is visible on the face of the gold after it has been poured and cooled in a mould."

(August 30, 2008)

Back to Gold (TAA i.3.14).