This probably been answered before, defoiling/removing gold from filterpaper

I've searched the forums using all three search system attached to it. I'm probably not naming and ordering the items correctly.

So I started the process of poormans AR (bleach and concrete cleaner/30%HCL), got the old crumbling filter papers in HCL, ready to drop in bleach, and the solution turned green, and darkened over time.

So I know I have copper/tin/lead sediment with the gold foils from the AP.

the first idea I had was "Throw some drain cleaner in there, it'll eat the paper."
Which I tested small scale on a spent ceramic CPU (still had some gold attached) and filter paper, 1900mg/l H2SO4 into 30% HCL, need a bomb shelter, violent exothermic reaction.. not doing that again. and 24 hours later, looks like the gold plating is gone or got an oxidised layer on it.

the Second idea is to filter and wash the papers and gold flakes, but there is about 20 odd papers in there, and they are braking up, with my gold.
I also need a large container, and large filter paper and funnel, some items I don't have yet on hand.

Third idea, continue, put the gold into the solution, and drop it out after filtering off the spent papers, but that's going to be contaminated with the other metals, which I have to research on how to fix that.

if anyone has some guidance for me, or just want to tell me I'm a big dumb goof, and why, I'm all eyes.
I've been looking for the best method for 3 days now, reading a bunch of garbage and unrelated stuff, I'm hoping you guys would help out.

Dissolve the Gold and filter off any filter paper slush that remains. When you use Sodium Metabisulfite to precipitate the Gold from the solution (and not ridiculously too much), it selectively precipitates the Gold, leaving the Copper in solution.

Just a quick note you did not create poormans AR, to make that you use Hcl and a nitrate source.

nickvc said:

Just a quick note you did not create poormans AR, to make that you use Hcl and a nitrate source.

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Well, its not Nitric Acid + Hydrochloric Acid
its "Lemon Fresh" Bleach + HCL, so who knows what impurities the bleach will contain. thats why i call it "Poormans Aqua Regia"

Here in aussieland, its a little hard to get Nitric Acid: 500ml for ~$70AU (excluding shipping)? Anyway.

kernels said:

Dissolve the Gold and filter off any filter paper slush that remains. When you use Sodium Metabisulfite to precipitate the Gold from the solution (and not ridiculously too much), it selectively precipitates the Gold, leaving the Copper in solution.

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I thought putting in SMB would just sludge out all the items in the solution, Or is that the best goal now? drop and reprocess?

Bleach is sodium hypochlorite plus whatever lemon addditive you have.

You need oxidizer to get gold in solution.

Poor mans is just using fertilizer as a source of nitrate to oxide the gold to get it in to solution.


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Your best bet at this point is going to be to evaporate it down to reduce your volume (I imagine it's up there)....then start over with hcl and some sort of oxidizer.


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snoman701 said:

... Poor mans is just using fertilizer ...

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Where I live, if there is any ferterliser with nitrate in it, it'll have 20 other things in there (including, but not limited to "Vitamin B1") and it would be mixed in compost. so 25KG/55lbs of dirt for $30, or 2L of bleach for $15?

I'm a poor man, I don't want to wash dirt to get expensive dirt

snoman701 said:

Your best bet at this point is going to be to evaporate it down to reduce your volume (I imagine it's up there)....then start over with hcl and some sort of oxidizer.


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I kinda wanna try and avoid that, since its 30hcl/60dhmo I don't like the smell of chlorine..
Its only ~2L of it with the papers and gold, but it went green before I got to the bleach, that's why I wanted to know if I could just find a way to eat the papers and filter off gold again, or just continue and refine the gold again after SMB drop..

Hi! In my eyes it is two issues to adress here.
First you need to know if there are gold in solution by testing with Stannous Chloride (Search the forum).

Then you need to ensure alle the gold and base metals are dissolved.
If you have access to an air bubbler (Aquarium bubbler) continue with HCl and air (AP) untill all base metals are dissolved.
You can then continue with HCl and an oxidizer like bleach, peroxide or nitrate until all gold is dissolved.
Filter the liqid and drop the gold with SMB.

Keep the liquid and add it to your stock pot for later.

The clue is testing, testing and testing ;-)

I apologize...clearly I didn't realize that the bleach is a strong enough oxidizer.

I still think your volume is too great, but heating will release chlorine gas.


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snoman701 said:

I apologize...clearly I didn't realize that the bleach is a strong enough oxidizer.

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Apologising for what? the nitrite in the potting mix probably would be stronger, if I could get it out.

The bleach I got, has 42g/L of Sodium Hypochlorite, with sodium hydroxide at 9g/L.

The other stuff I have been looking into getting, is what farmers use, and its a "Class 5 substance" and I need "100 points (or photo based licence)" of identification to get it.. This may be enough nitrite in it to do what I need..

snoman701 said:

I still think your volume is too great, but heating will release chlorine gas.

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Cant I just decant some out? its only got copper 2 Chloride and gold flakes and all my filters.

Yggdrasil said:

Hi! In my eyes it is two issues to adress here.
First you need to know if there are gold in solution by testing with Stannous Chloride (Search the forum).

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You are correct, I should test for that. even thou its just been HCL into filter/gold foils, you never know.

Yggdrasil said:

Then you need to ensure all the gold and base metals are dissolved.
If you have access to an air bubbler (Aquarium bubbler) continue with HCl and air (AP) untill all base metals are dissolved.

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Yes, i thought i did do this, but i must of got some copper to drop somewhere and it got into the filters.

Yggdrasil said:

You can then continue with HCl and an oxidizer like bleach, peroxide or nitrate until all gold is dissolved.

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This is where I Thought I was at.

Yggdrasil said:

Filter the liquid and drop the gold with SMB.

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I was hoping to be here a week ago

Yggdrasil said:

Keep the liquid and add it to your stock pot for later.

The clue is testing, testing and testing ;-)

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Stockpot is at 50% got about 10 more liters to go. Then I'm testing, and attempting to drop the copper, andf what ever there is in there.