Gold Refining Forum Sponsored Contest

[Photobacterium]

Beautiful - all of these entries.

I took some pictures myself.

My 3 hot plate set-up. I've been thinking BIG 8) - added a fourth hot plate yesterday, the rectangular kind.

Top Row, Left to Right -
* Ore Sample, Soak with Muriatic, 2 Quart cup
* Approx. 30 CPU's, Nitric Acid Soak, 1 Pint Cup

Bottom Row -
* 15 ounces of Silver powder, from a vibratory polisher, contaminated with Ferrous, most likely. Nitric Soak.
* Copper Nitrate/ Silver Nitrate Solution, Silver Chloride Drop Work-in-Process.
* The 2 small cups - I have a roll of metal tape, weight 3 1/2 pounds, Specific Gravity 8 (tin = 7, Silver = 10). For starters, I soaked one piece in Muriatic, another in Nitric. The metal partially dissolved in Muriatic, leaving behind a dark gray powder. In Nitric it created "White Crap", I think characteristic of Tin.

I had been wondering - why are my reactions not tracking LazerSteve's ? Then I realized - he is working at room temperature, and I am outside where the temps are dropping to about 20 degrees F. So I started using the hot plates to try & keep reaction mixtures warm, or hot, depending.


Re. the metal tape - I dissolved more in Muriatic/31% HCl yesterday. 48 grams metal, 158 mL Muriatic - following GRF recipe. I estimate it's 90% tin, the balance might be Silver. Meaning I may have just made a batch of Stannous Chloride.

Anyway, that shows some of my Work-in-Process.

Thought you guys might get a kick out of my home-made filter -

It's a blue bowl with holes drilled in it & binder clips so it will fit on the white bucket. It's cheap & it works ! - as long as the blue plastic is inert & not contaminating anything. I don't remember what is being filtered in this particular picture. I've been looking for that 8 ounce glass measuring cup ...

The filters are from Staples office supply, they sell Medium Big filters, 500 for $5.

My mining & metallurgy coach/ instructor suggested that I consider buying one of that particular model of shaker table.

http://www.gold-rus.com/Gold/U-Tech-Shaker-Table-RP-4.html

Is that the one with the 'spinning rare earth magnets' ? I'm wondering if the spinning magnets actually helps with the concentration.

Also, how it may compare to a duplex or quadplex or even single jig for concentration.

http://www.admmr.state.az.us/Publications/circ052jig.html

 

[slickdogg]

Entries will be accepted until 11:59 on December 31st

Of all the member we have here
i would have though there would have been
many more pictures of labs and equipment.

 

[Anonymous]

Entries will be accepted until 11:59 on December 31st

Of all the member we have here
i would have though there would have been
many more pictures of labs and equipment.

I may join in on the next one.I do not like sharing pics of my shop/lab,and I am super critical of everything.But I am (VERY) slowly coming around.We have this same contest periodically,so I may jump on the bandwagon for the next one.

 

[Geo]

i got my backside reamed out once because of my "junk".im not going down that road again.

 

[Dirtdiggaler]

The magnets float the heavy magnetic sand so the gold can be liberated into the # 1 concentrate bin. I like my table. I have concentrated other metallic minerals including cinnabar. I did not know if I would like the table for concentrating milled ore but it removed the wear metal from the mill. I will do a test run with a fire assay of the tailing's for you if you want me to.

 

[philddreamer]

Ken, I like your set up. I have a couple of extra wet/dry shop vacuums & I always liked the design of running the fumes thru caustic, so I'm going to give that a shot.

Thanks!

Phil

P.S.
One question, was your oxigen tank tied down?

 

[Dirtdiggaler]

have they picked a winner yet?

 

[Harold_V]

have they picked a winner yet?

No. I do not envy the task. Few have submitted, and it's not going to be easy sorting. I'm pleased it's not my responsibility.

Harold

 

[Palladium]

Well I’ve been at this refining thing for a couple of years now. I’ve done most of my refining out in the back yard on a table or under my shed. I’ve fought everything from cats to lightning bugs and cold, heat, and blowing dust and now that I have 2-5 year olds and a 4 year old running around I need a safe place to securely do my refining. This weekend I decided it was time for a change and finally did something about it. I’m building me a 8 x 12 room complete with fume hood and melting hood (separate). I decided to keep up with my cost and post some pics incase someone else might find it useful.

Total cost so far:

Lumber package including all lumber, insulation, screws, sheetrock, and so on $ 400.00
Vacuum pump $120
Power supply for silver cell $ http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Adjustable-Variable-DC-Power-Supply-30V-10A-S-3010D-BLUE-LED-/110749107995?pt=AU_Components&hash=item19c929471b
Tornado fan (trade day) $20 http://www.bing.com/shopping/carpet-blower/specs/4FAFAAC8CF8453375011?q=tornado+fan+carpet+dryer&lpf=0&lpq=tornado%2bfan%2bcarpet%2bdryer&FORM=CMSMMH It moves 3,000 cfm. The room is 8x12x7 for a total of about 700 cu ft. That enough to exchange all the air in the room 4 times a min.
Torch kit complete with bottles $200 I ordered the torch from ebay for $100 including all tips and regulators. The ox bottle came from a man a trade day who recertifies them and cost $80 full of ox. The propane bottle came from a bbq grill. I found an old one and traded it in for a refilled one for $20.

 

[Palladium]

cont:

 

[Palladium]

I almost forgot to list the cost of missing a nail with a 16oz eastwing hammer. No guts, No glory. lol

 

[Geo]

holy cow man!! that hurts just looking at it.guess its better than losing it completely.

hope it heals quick.

 

[pinman]

Chin up brother. We've all done it.

 

[Smack]

Smack cringes as he see's Palladuim's hand model carrier go down the drain No more soap commercials for you.

Hey don't block out the drive up window...that's where the sandwiches and cold ones will come from.

lol after a closer look maybe that's not your house.

 

[Harold_V]

I almost forgot to list the cost of missing a nail with a 16oz eastwing hammer. No guts, No glory. lol

Damn, Bro, that's not fun at all.

Please do be more careful.

Harold

 

[Claudie]

Chin up brother. We've all done it.

Ain't that the truth.... :|

 

[vegaswinner]

Do we have a winner yet?? I need to know who's lab setup to replicate :wink:

 

[butcher]

That hammer was made to hit the other nail, you need more practice swinging the hammer towards your hand, practice makes perfect, well almost, after you bang on your hand a while you may get a little better hitting the steel nail. just do not hit that same finger until after it heals back, tuck it back out of the way from that hammer for a few weeks.

:evil:

 

[Palladium]

My finger is still a purple color that would make any refiner proud. :mrgreen: I've gotten my fan and duct work ready to go in i just haven't had time between kids, work, and life in general. I'm proud of my fan and the way it draws. I think it's going to be the cats meow.

 

[wheed]

Contest administrator,

Please do not end the contest yet, I am still borrowing all the great ideas. And if the contest is ended, please begin another contest. Maybe an annual best lab contest.

This has been the best thread to help with what is actually needed and how to build the equipment necessary to refine PMs.

Note I am finding persons in this line of work to be some what secretive. This may be why there are only a hand full of pictures and or explanations versus the 16k + members.

My favorite systems have a scrubbing system. I hate to see exhaust to atmosphere with out some sort of scrubbing, it's just not cool IMHO.

Wheed