How can you identify metal if you're not an expert?

Question

I always wondered how they identified metal. They all look silvery or coppery to me. Do they use some sort of metal finding instrument? Can I buy one of these instruments? Are they cheap?

Answer 1

Use a metal detector, or send it for analysis for metals, using ICP-MS

Answer 2

Take it to someone who is an expert.

Answer 3

The process for identifying a metal typically doesn't involve going to ICP-MS (mass spectrometer) as suggested.  Typically to determine a metal one goes through a sort of question/answer reductive search by applying diverse tests to the metal such as magnetic characteristics, colour, reagent tests, density, hardness, etc.

As an example, If a chemist were given a reasonably large piece of nickel he/she wouldn't go and fire up a plasma mass spectrometer.  He'd take a look and say, hey, it's silvery metal.  That eliminates things like lead, copper, helium, etc.  The next test might be whether or not a magnet picks it up.  If it does, that eliminates things like aluminum.  From there, typically a reagent test for the various elements that fit the remaining characteristics.

Answer 4

Lots of different tests, some which are easy to do at home.

What color is it? Does a magnet stick to it? Dent it with a screwdriver. How hard is it?  Weigh it and compare that to the amount of water it displaces to get an approximate density. Pound it with a hammer and see how easy or hard it is to work. Let it sit around and see if it corrodes.

You would need a special stove to melt most metals, but determining it's melting point would be a big clue.

Chemicals react differently to most metals, so if you knew what you were doing, you could test small peices of the metal.  For example, nitric acid will not dissolve gold.

In the end, it may be simpler to pay someone to assay your metal.

Grandpa