# Substitute?



## ritehere (Mar 8, 2012)

Can pottasium nitrate be substituted(or instead of) for sodium nitrate when performing aqua regia?


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## Geo (Mar 8, 2012)

yes.


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## ritehere (Mar 8, 2012)

Thank you Geo. And isn't this found in the product "stump out". And if it is, then can you still use stump out to percipitate the gold as well?


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## Geo (Mar 8, 2012)

actually there are two different formulas for the same type product. read the label carefully. sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate will not precipitate gold. sodium sulfite is the chemical that will generate the SO2 gas that precipitates gold from solution. don't assume name brands contain any compound, make certain of it before you add it to a reaction. this precaution can at the least save your reaction and at the most save your life.


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## ritehere (Mar 8, 2012)

thanks again Geo. But if the stump out does contain potassium nitrate then I assume it can be used to both make aqua regia and also percipitate the gold as well (from the aqua regia that it was in)?


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## Acid_Bath76 (Mar 8, 2012)

There are two different types of stump out. I think that's what might be causing some of the confusion. Hoke mentions using sodium nitr*ITE* as a precipitant. Not sodium nitr*ATE*. A coupe letters makes a big difference. Anyhow, check out the MSDS for the products I mentioned below. In addition, brush up on HOKE. She explains some of this stuff in more detail. I recently started using the Bonide stump out as my precipitant, and have had good results. The only difference I've noticed, is that the powders that precipitate are very, VERY fine. I'm sure that has much more to do with my process, and not the new precipitant. 

Spectracide Stump Removal (Potassium Nitr*ate*)

Bonide Stump Removal (sodium pyrosulf*ITE*

* .......can be used to both make aqua regia and also percipitate the gold as well from the aqua regia that it was in?*
Some of the concepts in refining can throw people for a loop. I know I had a hard time. Don't take this the wrong way please... but if you haven't read HOKE, you need to stop and read it from front to back. You can probably get by without it, but you're putting yourself at risk. The moment you run into issues, you're going to be back here asking many of the same questions people have asked before. Everyone here enjoys helping each other out, but it's also great to see people take a real proactive effort to learn the basics first. People say it doesn't matter if you win or lose, but how you played the game. Someone on this forum (I'm sorry the name escapes me) told me as I was starting out, that's it's how you play this game that determines your victory (good yield and keeping all your digits) or defeat (beakers full of sludge that leave us wondering how it all went to crap). This stuff isn't a game, but you get the point. Sorry to be long winded, but after rereading your post I noticed a basic conceptual misunderstanding. I'm somewhat new to this as well, so if I'm way off target I'm hoping someone chimes in and sets us both straight!!


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## Geo (Mar 8, 2012)

no. potassium nitrate does not precipitate gold. it can be used to produce AR solution, but you will need a form of sodium sulfite (sodium metabisulfite,SMB to precipitate it back out.


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## ritehere (Mar 8, 2012)

I appreciate the info Acid_Bath. Thanks


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## ritehere (Mar 8, 2012)

And thanks again Geo


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