gold leaf

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Metal leaf processing

A small gold nugget of 5mm in diameter (bottom) can be expanded to about 20,000 times its initial surface through hammering, producing a gold foil surface of about one half square meter with a thickness of about 0.2~0.3 micrometre. Toi gold mine, Japan.

Metal leaf, also called composition leaf or schlagmetal, is a thin foil used for decoration. Metal leaf can come in many different shades. Some metal leaf may look like gold leaf but not contain any real gold. This metal leaf is often referred to as imitation leaf.

Gold leaf

22k gold leaf applied with an ox hair brush during the process of gilding

Burnishing gold leaf with an agate stone tool, during the water gilding process

Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of carats and shades. 23-carat gold is the most commonly used variety.^{[citation needed]}. The traditional method of manufacturing gold leaf is a process called goldbeating. In industrialized nations, the process has been replaced with more mechanized methods.

There are a variety of imitation gold leaf products available. These are used in order to avoid the high price of gold. These imitation gold, or gold-colored leafs are more accurately grouped into the broader category of metal leaf. Real yellow gold leaf is about 92% pure gold. Silver colored white gold is approximately 50% pure gold.

Layering gold leaf over a surface is sometimes called gold leafing, and is a very common form of gilding.

External links

• The Goldleaf Factory Int P/L - Manufacturer of The Finest Genuine Gold leaf and Silver leaf
• Kanazawa Yasue Gold-Leaf Museum
• Nazionale Battitura Metalli - Manufacturer of Imitation Gold leaf, Aluminium leaf and Copper Leaf
• Goldleaf Chocolate, Chocolate Pralines with 23 Carat Gold