# MAKING STANNOUS CHLORIDE



## INDY864

OK. i just received my tin solder. Per the GOLD N SCRAP note, I dissolved 2 grams of the solder in 30 ml of 32% HCL. Lets say I ATTEMPTED TO. I had to leave my shop early before the job was complete. I have a noticeable amount of residue - more than I expected from a 99% tin solder. Also, how long should it take by boiling to dissolve the tin? Is the residue expected?>
INDY 864


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## jimdoc

The residue is probably antimony, it should say on the solder label.
Just pour the solution off of it to another container.
Do you have any gold solution to test it?

Jim


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## INDY864

No, but I have plenty of gold.


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## jimdoc

Dissolve some gold and test.

Here is a link to more stannous information;
http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=2082&p=17541&hilit=stannous#p17541

Jim


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## INDY864

Thanks Jim.


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## Geo

i dissolve all the metal the solution will hold and then put solution in my dripper bottle with a small piece solder in the bottom to keep the solution active.


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## INDY864

PERFECT. Thanks Geo.
BTW. I have to be sure there is no free nitric in my gold solution before testing, right? ANY VARIATIONS? The S/C is only good with A/R,
right?
I've learned to ask this question because I've learned there are always variables. :lol: 
INDY


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## Geo

nitric content should not effect the test, at least it never has for me. it will test any solution that contains gold and many other PM's other than silver.


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## INDY864

Geo said:


> nitric content should not effect the test, at least it never has for me. it will test any solution that contains gold and many other PM's other than silver.


Thanks again, GEO


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## Harold_V

Geo said:


> nitric content should not effect the test, at least it never has for me. it will test any solution that contains gold and many other PM's other than silver.


That's not true. Stannous chloride will not serve for tests in basic solutions, and can fail to respond to acidic solutions that have an excess of nitric. In such a case, when testing gold chloride, you can expect two things to happen. One of them is for no reaction at all---so the test may not be conclusive in the hands of a person that has no clue. 

The second thing that can, and will, happen, is for the test to flash color instantly, then disappear just as fast as it appeared. The colloidal gold precipitated is re-dissolved, obliterating the test results. For these reasons, everyone should be familiar with testing by more than one method. 

Crystals of ferrous sulfate can serve quite nicely for the purpose. A drop of solution is placed in a cavity of a spot plate, then a crystal of ferrous sulfate is introduced. Gold will precipitate, often in a sheet---and the color of the solution will shift, reverting to clear, assuming all of the gold is precipitated, and there are no other metals in solution. 

Harold


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## Geo

i can assume it made no difference in my test because i only add nitric in small quantities untill all the metal is dissolved. i really hate trying to evaporate nitric acid, though i suppose its something i should try to master.


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## Harold_V

Geo said:


> i really hate trying to evaporate nitric acid, though i suppose its something i should try to master.


Indeed it is! If you intend to refine, you should be well versed on any of the basic procedures, for there will come a time when things may not be as they appear, and you'll be required to evaporate a solution. Being familiar with the process ensures you'll achieve the required success. 

One think to keep in the back of your mind, assuming you face evaporation. There is no easier way to eliminate free nitric than to use it. An added button of pure gold when evaporating makes short work of the process, assuming you have an excess of HCl present. Remember---that's not a problem, unlike excessive nitric. 

Harold


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## INDY864

THANK YOU for the extra input!
INDY


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## jabukanac

Has anyone made successfully reliable stannous chloride using pewter grinded material :?:


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## Lou

Solder is ok because it is expedient, but I heartily recommend using pure reagent.

We keep ours with tin powder in the bottom and use SnCl2*2H2O in 0.5 M HCl.


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## Cryxis

Hi, I know this is probably going to pull up an old thread that hasn't been touched in forever but it poked like the right place to post this question. 
I am doing gold refining for a highschool science fair project and I've run into an issuer with making Stannous chloride.
I am using *tin shot and Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid?) to try to make stannous chloride.
A guid I found for getting gold from computer chips said the process would take about 4~6 hours at room temperature.
I made the solution of approximately 1 gram of tin shot and 30 ml of acid. The temperature here has been very inconsistent (20 degrees F in the morning/night and 50 degrees F in the afternoon) so I left the solution to sit for 24 hours and nothing happened, the tin shot is just sitting there not dissolving.
I think temperature is the problem but I'm not sure if there is something else I'm doing wrong. 
Yes I have been doing this outside, parents don't want me doing it indoors.

Edit: *the tin shot is the first item on the website listed, for some reason I can't click it to look at the item... Sorry for any inconvenience.


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## Barren Realms 007

Cryxis said:


> Hi, I know this is probably going to pull up an old thread that hasn't been touched in forever but it poked like the right place to post this question.
> I am doing gold refining for a highschool science fair project and I've run into an issuer with making Stannous chloride.
> I am using *tin shot and Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid?) to try to make stannous chloride.
> A guid I found for getting gold from computer chips said the process would take about 4~6 hours at room temperature.
> I made the solution of approximately 1 gram of tin shot and 30 ml of acid. The temperature here has been very inconsistent (20 degrees F in the morning/night and 50 degrees F in the afternoon) so I left the solution to sit for 24 hours and nothing happened, the tin shot is just sitting there not dissolving.
> I think temperature is the problem but I'm not sure if there is something else I'm doing wrong.
> Yes I have been doing this outside, parents don't want me doing it indoors.
> 
> Edit: *the tin shot is the first item on the website listed, for some reason I can't click it to look at the item... Sorry for any inconvenience.



You need to add heat for your reaction to take place.


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## Cryxis

Someone suggested using a hair dryer to heat it up
Would that work?


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## Barren Realms 007

Yes for a small scale. Don't plan on reusing the dryer for personal use.


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## Cryxis

Nevermind parents said it wouldn't last the few hours for the reaction and we don't have any spare ones for later.
They said I could bring it in to make the stannous chloride as long as it doesn't produce fumes... 
I can't find anywhere that says it does or doesn't.
Does the process of making at annoys chloride produce fumes?

Edit: very bad auto correct


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## martyn111

Yes, making stannous chloride will produce fumes. DO NOT attempt to do this indoors unless you are working in a fume hood.


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## Barren Realms 007

Cryxis said:


> Nevermind parents said it wouldn't last the few hours for the reaction and we don't have any spare ones for later.
> They said I could bring it in to make the stannous chloride as long as it doesn't produce fumes...
> I can't find anywhere that concerns or Denny's if it does
> Does the process of making at annoys chloride produce fumes?



If you go to a yard sale and find a coffee maker without a pot you can buy that and use it for your heat source.


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## g_axelsson

It WILL produce fumes! Don't bring it inside!

Göran


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## solar_plasma

Additional, HCl over 25-30% evolves even a visible nasty vapor, you don't want to get a nose of. Further it makes all iron and often even stainless around rust. When tin dissolves in HCl, tiny hydrogen bubbles will burst at the surface and make an aerosol to some degree.


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## Geo

HCl fumes regardless. Stannous chloride fumes in warm air and so the fumes can't be seen. The white film that forms on glassware over time, in close proximity of the solution is tin oxide that condenses out of the fumes.


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## marlyn

Would the solution work, if I use stannous chloride and HCl only (without metalic tin)? I have a problem to get pure tin, everything they have here is a mixture of 60% tin and other metals...


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## FrugalRefiner

It will work fine, but it won't last as long. Over time, stannous chloride oxidizes into stannic chloride. If there is metallic tin present, the tin reacts with the stannic chloride to form stannous chloride again, allowing the solution to last longer. 

Make tiny batches as needed and it will work fine. Keep it in a cool dark place when not in use, and keep it in as small a container as possible to keep air in the container to a minimum. You can also add a thin layer of mineral spirits to prevent the air from contacting the solution.

Dave


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## rewalston

Geo said:


> i dissolve all the metal the solution will hold and then put solution in my dripper bottle with a small piece solder in the bottom to keep the solution active.


Where can I get the dripper bottles? I have mine right now in a 100ml (I think) capped test tube. Getting a little hard to get a dropper into it for testing.
Rusty


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## Grelko

rewalston said:


> Geo said:
> 
> 
> 
> i dissolve all the metal the solution will hold and then put solution in my dripper bottle with a small piece solder in the bottom to keep the solution active.
> 
> 
> 
> Where can I get the dripper bottles? I have mine right now in a 100ml (I think) capped test tube. Getting a little hard to get a dropper into it for testing.
> Rusty
Click to expand...


The cheapest might be a Visine bottle (eye drops) or ear drops. You can also try a salon (some carry pipettes too), or local pharmacy.

Edit - Pet stores might have them also, they would be used to administer medicine or milk to pets.


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## rewalston

Grelko said:


> rewalston said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Geo said:
> 
> 
> 
> i dissolve all the metal the solution will hold and then put solution in my dripper bottle with a small piece solder in the bottom to keep the solution active.
> 
> 
> 
> Where can I get the dripper bottles? I have mine right now in a 100ml (I think) capped test tube. Getting a little hard to get a dropper into it for testing.
> Rusty
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The cheapest might be a Visine bottle (eye drops) or ear drops. You can also try a salon (some carry pipettes too), or local pharmacy.
> 
> Edit - Pet stores might have them also, they would be used to administer medicine or milk to pets.
Click to expand...

Thank you Grelko, I might have a small eye drop bottle I can use, I'll have to see if I can get the top off. If I can I'll rinse it really well before putting SnCl into it.


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## Grelko

You're welcome.

Before I forget, swimming pool stores should carry them also. They come in the kit for testing your pool PH, might be a bit expensive though. I don't think they sell the bottles separately.


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## FrugalRefiner

I find small HDPE dropper bottles on eBay.

Dave


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## upcyclist

I ordered these refillable dropper bottles from Amazon. So far, I've only used two (stannous chloride and known AuCl solution), so I could just send you a couple if you want.


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## rewalston

upcyclist said:


> I ordered these refillable dropper bottles from Amazon. So far, I've only used two (stannous chloride and known AuCl solution), so I could just send you a couple if you want.


That would work, all the visine bottles around here are still full :lol:


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