While hydrochloric acid, by itself, will not react with or harm gold in any way, gold and other precious, non-reactive metals can be dissolved by a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, in a three-to-one ratio by volume. This is called aqua regia, Latin for "royal water." It is used in etching gold, as it is one of the few materials capable of dissolving it. It is used in many different formulas. Hydrochloric acid is corrosive.