Evidently all that glitters is not entirely gold. Just ask the many disappointed bankers and investors who have discovered some of their large gold bullion bars were ersatz - real gold on the outside, far less valuable tungsten on the inside. Enter General Electric with its Phasor series of portable ultrasonic detectors. Using non-invasive technology identical to that deployed in peering at developing fetuses, GE's devices allow a quick and thorough examination of gold bars for flaws, bubbles and even different materials.
Downplayed by the media to avert potential worldwide panic, the story has understandably received little mainstream press, but, as the value of standard 400 oz. bars nears US$700,000, it's easy to understand why gold counterfeiting is on the rise.
Tungsten, similar in weight and specific gravity to gold, makes an ideal choice for salting bogus bars. China Tungsten Online, for example, unabashedly offers gold-plated tungsten products for sale with the proviso that they not be used for "illegal purpose."
Where the metal differs from gold is in its hardness. Until recently, short of drilling into the bar, there was no convenient, reliable way to separate the genuine from the fake - that's where GE's portable ultrasonic detectors come in.
Conventional ultrasonic devices generally yield images that are often difficult to decipher, especially for the layperson. GE's Phasor XS, however, with its computer-controlled, phased array probe, yields simple images that even minimally-trained operators find easy to interpret. This is good news for companies like physical bullion supplier, GoldMoney, which finished the months-long inspection of its vast metal holdings earlier this year.
Procuring the technology to ensure clients peace of mind seems to be an investment decision worth its weight in, well, tungsten, at least!
The inspection technology is demonstrated in the following video from GoldMoney:
of course the cat and mouse game will continue. the cheaters will simply adapt to this. but maybe not so simply. it will be costly.
Can this technology be applied to metal detectors for scanning large areas? A new company that looks for gold ore on the sea floor uses a secret scanning device.
Why it has worked so well is because the density of tungsten is only a tiny amount less than that of gold. They\'re so close that it would take an extremely precise method of measuring the mass VS volume to find the fake bars.
Until this ultrasound device, the only other methods to find the fakes involved drilling or cutting into the bars, which is costly because the real bars would then have to be melted and re-cast, plus all the time taken and collecting all the little gold shavings.
The ultrasound method is non-destructive and should only take a few seconds per bar.
This fake gold scam has been known for quite a while yet none of the major media has bothered to report on it.
Does NEW WORLD ORDER, ring any bells, it is just one of the ways people will go out of their way in the pursuit of GREED. It is however exciting that AU is near $2,000 US an oz. Considering in 2000 it was about $800! As we move into GFCII, no it is no where near over, and GOLD will make it to $5,000 an oz. in less than 2 - 3 years as the Stock Markets react to Falling Home Prices, Raised Interest, and LESS Food to FEED even the devloped countries, due to increased weather and other natural disasters... So Gold and Silver it\'s Way Under Valued friend, would be a great place to park you hard earned cash. JUST WATCH for Counterfit Bars, get quallity and garrentees with all Gold Bars Bought!! Scott (Australia)