Need step by step guide for SC solutions.

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T

Torch666

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Sep 11, 2021
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I have been trying to make a stannous chloride solution for gold testing. I have tin metal shot,this I filled to powder. It has not dissolved in muriatic acid yet. Do I need heat? It has been cold 🥶 outside about 35 degrees and below freezing temperatures
Thanks
 
Yes, warm it up a bit. Not boiling hot, but about hot tap water warm. Once it starts reacting and you see some bubbles you can let it cool back down, but keep it above freezing. Put a cap on it loosely because it will continue to bubble for a while.

Dave
 
Thank you very much. I'll give it a shot. Should it all dissolve or 90% for the solution to work? I didn't try anything i have already made. No noticeable difference in the tin metal content. I think some dissolve might be around 5%or less. And the process still takes a few hours with the heating applied. Correct??
 
I have been having trouble with stannous chloride testing solution for several years now. As a result, almost all of my recovery and refining work has been blind. My workspace for metals recovery and refining is outside in an unheated and open to the elements building (very positive air flow). As with the OP of this thread, I am wondering about heat / cold and the efficacy of stannous chloride testing solution in cold (below freezing) temps. Most nights fall well below freezing so keeping it from freezing is not going to be very easy, especially if that is when I am working the metals.

To make it, I use user '4 metals's recipe of: 2 grams stannous chloride crystals, 1 gram tin electrode metal, 40 ml distilled water, 10 drops of HCL
However, it will only work ever so weakly if I heat the tested drops (on paper towel) over a heat source that nearly burns the paper towel. Otherwise the solution under test drops and testing solution drops all become clear until much later and everything has evaporated dry.

What the bleep am I doing wrong? I have tried 3 different reagent grade containers of stannous crystals, Do the crystals themselves go bad in the container? I did find a loose lid on the main container I was using but that shouldn't kill all the other reagent grade stannous in other containers.

The testing solution I would make used to work when I first started in the metals work 6 or 7 years ago, but now every time I make a solution, it is like I am using something that is deliberately masking any reaction.
Something in the paper towels?

Any one else ever seen this behavior? Thanks in advance for your consideration.
 
Last edited:
Stannous chloride and water form an insoluble basic salt Sn(OH)Cl. To avoid this, acidify the water first with HCl prior to adding stannous chloride. Avoid heat especially boiling as this causes this reaction to occur also. Agitate instead. Always add some metallic tin, not powder as stated above. Avoid exposure to air. If the solution appears cloudy, add a little more HCl by drops. If you want longer shelf life add a small amount of ferric chloride FeCl3 (0.1 to 0.2 grams). Hope this helps.
 
Stannous Chloride Test Solution;
1.55 g stannous chloride
0.75 grams tin metal
1.5 ml concentated HCl 11.6M
0.1 g ferric chloride (opt)
22.5 ml distilled water
Ready to use, with longer shelf life.
 
Too complicated fellas. If you want the easy way here it is.
Buy a small roll of Lead free solder from your hardware store. (written on the tube will be confirmation that it is Tin)
Snip off a couple of inches and put it in a small dropper bottle with 20 ml of HCl in it.
It will fizz immediately.
Warm if you like but within a few minutes you will have Stannous Chloride.
End of the story- it really is that simple.

If you like you can make new Stannous as often as you like. Keep a small bottle of gold Chloride to one side so you can test your stannous.
 
Spaceships said:
Too complicated fellas. If you want the easy way here it is.
Buy a small roll of Lead free solder from your hardware store. (written on the tube will be confirmation that it is Tin)
Snip off a couple of inches and put it in a small dropper bottle with 20 ml of HCl in it.
It will fizz immediately.
Warm if you like but within a few minutes you will have Stannous Chloride.
End of the story- it really is that simple.

If you like you can make new Stannous as often as you like. Keep a small bottle of gold Chloride to one side so you can test your stannous.
Click to expand...
We had a thread a few years ago winding for pages regarding making SC.
I told the guy that if he had issues making SC, our simplest task, he should not be refining.
The testing solution Jon mention is important since you can test that the SC work.
It is also important to know that there are limitations to the conditions where SC can be used.
 

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