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Message:: [QUOTE="desertgem, post: 1561319, member: 15199"]The mercury would evaporate out under 700 degrees and would stay out until the temperature decreased under that , by which time the gold would be solidified. If then at a temperature below the mercury boiling point, mercury was reintroduced into the gold, it would re-enter into an amalgam. Generally then, melting of gold was done in open air, unfortunately even if it was known that mercury had been used to concentrate the ore, as mercury and workers ( even in Switzerland  ) were not well protected. They only  scenario I could see to support it ~is if they purposely added mercury to gold after the bars were poured and cooled, but this would lower the sp. gr. and indicate a lesser karat content and value when tested. but it is much more likely to me that there is little to the "tale", IMO.[/QUOTE]