# silver in galena



## geonorts (Mar 16, 2010)

hi i have access to fair amount of possibly high grade galena, i have been told that 30kg of this galena will give 1kg of silver and i am doing research for best method to refine this for the person, i was hopeing someone could give me somewhere to start as to the best method for getting the silver out.


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## peter i (Mar 16, 2010)

The classic method would be to reduce the ore in a blast furnace (remember it is mainly lead sulphide), then treat the lead with the Parkes process to recover the silver.
But you would probably have to mill the ore first, the recover the interesting parts by flotation.



You must however consider this:
Unless you have a semi industrial setting, you have the opportunity to create your very own little environmental disaster (and poison yourself).

- You are likely to have quite a bit of lead oxide leave with the smoke.
- Lead ore will, apart from the lead, silver and sulphur likely contain copper, zinc, *cadmium, bismuth, arsenic, antimony* and gold (the bolded ones are pretty nasty!)
- you will produce a large amount of slag that must be disposed properly


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Mar 16, 2010)

Geonorts:

Peter i is right...both ores (galena and acantite) are nasty and the process is complicated.Probably you would like to try an old process that dissolves silver sulphide (acantite) selectively.Make a solution (20% weight) of sodium thiosulfate and add (1% weight) copper sulfate,mix well and then leach a sample of the ore...this solution will dissolve silver sulphide forming a thiosulfate silver complex that you can recover using electrolysis,zinc/acid process or other known process in the art.

This old process is called "Russell Process" and was used in Mexico and Australia,many years ago.

I hope it helps.

Best regards.

Manuel

Peter i:
Where have you been?...I send you a big hug.
Gud velsigne dig
Manuel


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## geonorts (Mar 16, 2010)

thanks great starting material and juan that is more what i was after a chemical small scale method and yes i am well aware that galena is not nice stuff to process


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## geonorts (Mar 17, 2010)

interested in the russell process. 
what do i make the solution of sodium thiosulphate with, just water? can the copper sulphate be replaced with SMB. the Zn acid method not sure which one your refering to


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## Platdigger (Mar 17, 2010)

The copper is a catylist in the disolving phase (at least for gold).

Copper chloride should also work as I have tried it with gold scrap.
But not with silver.

What say ye Juan?


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## peter i (Mar 18, 2010)

As far as I can see in my old books, in the very old days lead was refined from ore by simply grinding up the ore and sprinkling the powder onto a coal fire. This would reduce the lead to its metallic state (collecting in a pool in the bottom of the fireplace), release the sulphur as SO2 (pastering the neighbourhood) and spread lead dust all over the place.
This will require relatively rich ore to work with a reasonable success.
:mrgreen: 

"Ötzi the Iceman" seems to have been engaged in early metallurgy, and was pretty well poisoned by it.


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Mar 18, 2010)

Geonorts:

The sodium thiosulfate solution can be prepared with 200 gr of soldium thiosulfate and 800 ml of tap water,you can find sodium thiosulfate as waste in newspapers and hospitals Copper sulfate acts like a catalyst which forms a rare salt of silver,copper and sodium thiosulfate,the silver in this salt could be recover adding some zinc powder and a 5% solution of sulphuric acid,of course,some refining procedure will be needed.Kindest regards

Platdigger.
Yes.Sir!!!!...the copper acts like catalyst exactly like in gold thiosulfate method.Copper chloride converts silver sulphide to silver chloride which is easier to handle than silver sulphide.Ferric chloride will do the same job and it is cheaper than copper chloride.
Platdigger,as always,it is a great pleasure talking with you.Behave yourself.

Peter i:
Great Heavens!!!!!....you have such nice old books!!!!.
SO2 can be absorbed (like NO2) in NaOH solution,lead dust can be removed in a cyclone bag collector.Of course,it needs more investment.
Live worths nothing,it starts crying and it finishes exactly the same way:crying...Everyone of us have been poisoned once,you are,in my concept, the Scientist of this Forum and I am sure that you love the experiments and researching you do,no matter if they are dangerous or not.
Peter i,I send you a big hug.

Manuel


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## Irons (Mar 18, 2010)

geonorts said:


> hi i have access to fair amount of possibly high grade galena, i have been told that 30kg of this galena will give 1kg of silver and i am doing research for best method to refine this for the person, i was hopeing someone could give me somewhere to start as to the best method for getting the silver out.



Here's an expired patent you and others may find useful:

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4269811/fulltext.html


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## peter i (Mar 19, 2010)

Juan Manuel Arcos Frank said:


> Peter i:
> Great Heavens!!!!!....you have such nice old books!!!!.
> SO2 can be absorbed (like NO2) in NaOH solution,lead dust can be removed in a cyclone bag collector.Of course,it needs more investment.
> Live worths nothing,it starts crying and it finishes exactly the same way:crying...Everyone of us have been poisoned once,you are,in my concept, the Scientist of this Forum and I am sure that you love the experiments and researching you do,no matter if they are dangerous or not.
> ...



Thanks, I do however consider the old dogs in this forum to be far more proficient when it comes to refining than I am, I'm just a happy nerd loving my books and my experiments...
:mrgreen:

As for the technical solutions to the problems: Yes, you are quite right, but then it suddenly starts costing a lot of money and time, and even a full kilo of silver will not nearly cover the expense and trouble of building the setup, running it and disposing the waste in a responsible manner afterwards.


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