Gold parting valens") could be made by the distillation of saltpetre (KNO) with alum (KAl(SO)) or vitriol (FeSO) with water. 2KNO + HO + FeSO → FeO + KSO + 2HNO Nitric acid, after distillation to increase the acid strength, is capable of dissolving the silver but it will not (by itself) dissolve the gold. However, nitric acid is not able to (fully) extract silver and other impurities from an alloy with a high content of gold. Therefore, one part of scrap gold was typically alloyed with three parts of copper (quartering) before parting with nitric acid. Another method uses Sterling silver
Thiosulfurous acid They are immiscible in water, but dissolve in benzene or carbon tetrachloride. These species are less rigid than the thiosulfite esters. Thiosulfurous acid Thiosulfurous acid (HS−S(=O)−OH) is a low oxidation state (+1) sulfur acid. It is the equivalent acid for disulfur monoxide. Thiosulfurous acid is formed by reacting hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide at room temperature. The thiosulfurous acid molecule is unstable when condensed, reacting with itself. It decomposes to polysulfane oxide or polythionic acids in water which is termed Wakenroder's liquid. Other possible isomers are dihydroxydisulfane or hypodithionous acid HOSSOH, a linear chain, and thiothionyl hydroxide (S=S(OH)) a tautomer