# Reclaiming silver plating with a sandblast cabinet



## silversaddle1 (Dec 20, 2021)

I was talking to a truck mechanic friend in the shop the other day and we were discussing a big bin of silver plated brass/copper that has been sitting for years. He asked why I have not sent it out to refine and I explained to him that it was difficult to remove the plating from the base metals. He quickly turned and asked why not sandblast the silver off the base metal and refine the dust? He said he once had a small, benchtop blast cabinet that held about 1 pound of media. Why not do it like that? That's a good question. Could you blast it then refine the media as a whole, or would you be asking for an even bigger mess? You guys all know I refine nothing, but I like learning about the different processes people use.


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## butcher (Dec 20, 2021)

It can be done with proper equipment mainly keeping the sands contained.


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 20, 2021)

Sand blasting will remove some of the top layer. But depending on adherence and other factors you may end up removing some and pitting the rest. 
We used to bead blast stainless steel after welding to remove the oxide layer. It looked perfect but started to reoxidize quite fast. We ended up doing both the chemical treatment and the blasting.
That was due to the most of the action of the beads was each grain just scarred the surface moving the material a bit and leaving it still there.

I think that plain grinding may be more effective on larger pieces.
Or even AP and then flushing the plating off.


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## galenrog (Dec 20, 2021)

It has been discussed several times. Yes it works. Is it cost efficient? No. If you are paying an employee to do it, then it just became stupid expensive. 

If the silver plated copper is large enough, I will use it for cementing silver from solution, otherwise, it goes to the scrapyard as #2 copper. If silver plated brass, it is automatically destined for the scrapyard.

Time for more coffee.


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## Jado (Dec 21, 2021)

Choice of blast media would be key. Glass bead would work, but it has drawbacks mentioned above. Coal slag has a cleaner finish but would cause issues getting the silver out. I wonder if anyone has ever tried silver crystal as a blast media…


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## kurtak (Dec 21, 2021)

silversaddle1 said:


> a big bin of silver plated brass/copper



How big a bin ?

I ask because refineries that do cyanide leaching will process it if you have enough to be "a batch"

If you don't have enough to be "a batch" - some - companies will buy it for a bit over copper spot price

I don't remember for sure anymore but think Enviro-Chem in Rogers Minnesota buys it for a bit over spot copper 









Enviro-Chem Inc | Metal Services | Rogers, MN


Industrial services. Retail services. Metal recycling. Competitive pricing. Free second options. Pickup services available. Call us for a free estimate.




www.enviro-chemmn.com





Kurt


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## snoman701 (Dec 21, 2021)

When you consider the cost of compressing air, it gets really expensive. 

I had considered trying to tumble it off once, but again, for the amount recovered, expensive. 

Honestly, if you had taken what you would have been paid in brass or copper, and put it in a 401k, you'd be way ahead than if you got paid on copper and silver value. 

It's been a rough lesson, but most of the time, making money in this business is about selling for what someone wants to pay, not what it's worth.


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## silversaddle1 (Dec 21, 2021)

kurtak said:


> How big a bin ?
> 
> I ask because refineries that do cyanide leaching will process it if you have enough to be "a batch"
> 
> ...


Hundred pounds maybe. Not very much. Should just sell it as copper/brass, but ye know.....


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## silversaddle1 (Dec 21, 2021)

Well, I can't loose money on it because it was all free and had to be removed from the equipment anyways. Thanks for the replies guys.


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## nwinther (Dec 22, 2021)

There's a difference between being "crazy expensive" and "not economically viable".
But then again - it's a hobby for some. Playing tennis or Fantasy Football or collecting rocks is not economically viable either.
I find it facinating to take off the plating (gold/silver etc.) and recover it, even if it isn't economically viable.

I saw somewhere someone recommending using gold plated pins in your stock-pot, as a way of recovering the gold for free (save a bit on copper, too). Theoretically, the same could be done with plated silver, no?


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## Noggin (Dec 22, 2021)

nwinther said:


> There's a difference between being "crazy expensive" and "not economically viable".
> But then again - it's a hobby for some. Playing tennis or Fantasy Football or collecting rocks is not economically viable either.
> I find it facinating to take off the plating (gold/silver etc.) and recover it, even if it isn't economically viable.
> 
> I saw somewhere someone recommending using gold plated pins in your stock-pot, as a way of recovering the gold for free (save a bit on copper, too). Theoretically, the same could be done with plated silver, no?


I made that recommendation to Sreetips on one of his videos. I use plated copper in my stock pot because… why not?


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## cejohnsonsr1 (Dec 22, 2021)

silversaddle1 said:


> I was talking to a truck mechanic friend in the shop the other day and we were discussing a big bin of silver plated brass/copper that has been sitting for years. He asked why I have not sent it out to refine and I explained to him that it was difficult to remove the plating from the base metals. He quickly turned and asked why not sandblast the silver off the base metal and refine the dust? He said he once had a small, benchtop blast cabinet that held about 1 pound of media. Why not do it like that? That's a good question. Could you blast it then refine the media as a whole, or would you be asking for an even bigger mess? You guys all know I refine nothing, but I like learning about the different processes people use.


Recovery of plated silver isn’t terribly difficult. The reason why no one bothers with plated silver is because there is so little silver to recover. It’s just not worth the time, effort and expense.


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## Noggin (Dec 22, 2021)

cejohnsonsr1 said:


> Recovery of plated silver isn’t terribly difficult. The reason why no one bothers with plated silver is because there is so little silver to recover. It’s just not worth the time, effort and expense.


I always laugh a little when someone on a YouTube video recovers 20 grams of silver from e-scrap and seem happy with it.


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## Ohiogoldfever (Jan 2, 2022)

I also have several hundred pounds of plates stuff. I’ll just store it for a rainy day or to see if the price ever comes up enough to justify dealing with it.


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## stella polaris (Jan 3, 2022)

Small items no. Larger why not if you get higher class on copper and take the profit there. Perhaps one should avoid using aluminum based media. I do not know if it could create problem later. Normal sand seems better. Gravity separation from the sand should be possible.


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