# Average percentage of iridium in iron ore...



## flashfossilized (Nov 5, 2022)

My iridium source averages 3 to 8% iridium in the ore I'm mining. 90% of the ores iron, the rest is gold silver and copper all below 1%. My question is this, is there anyone out there mining iridium coming up with similar percentages? And is 3 to 8% a sensible percentage to try to process and refine?


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 5, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> My iridium source averages 3 to 8% iridium in the ore I'm mining. 90% of the ores iron, the rest is gold silver and copper all below 1%. My question is this, is there anyone out there mining iridium coming up with similar percentages? And is 3 to 8% a sensible percentage to try to process and refine?


How do you know it has Iridium in it?
Have you had an assay done, I mean not XRF but real PGM assay?

Edit to add:
Even 1% Gold is extremely rich, richer than anything I have heard about with 10Kg per MT.
Iridium is extremely rarer than Gold so at 30-80 Kg per MT it would maybe be the richest ore in the world.
So I think one need to question these numbers.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 5, 2022)

I have not had it assayed so to speak but I have a jeweler who has an x-ray spectrometer and he's zapped it for me and told me what I know I've had quite a few samples tested with the spectrometer he has and each one averages a different percentage but suffice it to say that lo, the words I speak are true and the numbers are correct so I appreciate your positive words of inspiration. There's not a lot of information out there when it comes to the subject of iridium. I've tried to find out what the percentage is in the or they pull out of the mines in South Africa but I can't seem to locate the information. I'm just trying to get a general idea of what I've got compared to what there is when it comes to mining and processing iridium...


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 5, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> I have not had it assayed so to speak but I have a jeweler who has an x-ray spectrometer and he's zapped it for me and told me what I know I've had quite a few samples tested with the spectrometer he has and each one averages a different percentage but suffice it to say that lo, the words I speak are true and the numbers are correct so I appreciate your positive words of inspiration. There's not a lot of information out there when it comes to the subject of iridium. I've tried to find out what the percentage is in the or they pull out of the mines in South Africa but I can't seem to locate the information. I'm just trying to get a general idea of what I've got compared to what there is when it comes to mining and processing iridium...


If the XRF don’t have the correct libraries and are set up for geology mode, it will read Arsenic as Ir.
Are there Pt, Pd, Rh or Os in there too?
You will almost never find Ir alone.

Annual production world wide is about 3 MT, so for you to find 30 Kg per MT which is 1% of the total world production per MT in an Ore is close to unheard of.

But if it is true it is a major find, you need to do a proper PGM assay to verify the numbers.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 5, 2022)

Thank you for your advice I'll check into the PGM assay you spoke of. There are small amounts of Pd, Pt, Rh in what I've found...


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## orvi (Nov 5, 2022)

World iridium reserves gone through the roof everytime people XRF rocks from their backyard  Here we go again. Iridium is one of the rarest elements on earth. So it is rhodium. And believing that some ore contains % ammounts of them is straight naive. At least, you need to consider the statistics - that is so improbable, that you better find out for sure you have even some in your sample.

Proper assay is needed. Not some XRF, which does not have Geochem mode. Even that is many times of no big help, since gold or PGMs runs at ppm levels in ores, and there is very high chance of overlaying peaks & diffraction distortion - so the XRF usually "make up" some metals that never been in the ore. Our like to create rhodium and osmium in low-density samples, or even deliberately on Geochem mode with various rocks, we see rhodium and platinum.


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## orvi (Nov 5, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Thank you for your advice I'll check into the PGM assay you spoke of. There are small amounts of Pd, Pt, Rh in what I've found...


Are there some sulfides, some visible minerals, or it is just ordinary looking rock ?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 5, 2022)

No there's definitely nothing ordinary about these "rocks" I've been finding. Most of them are chock a block full of carbon crystals and tiny diamonds. So naturally one can draw a conclusion that what I'm finding comes from a crashed asteroid. A lot of nickel some Cobalt titanium I'm no professional and I understand your skepticism chances of someone finding these things extremely rare as you say yes but doesn't change the fact that I did find them and I'll find out more about them as I go appreciate your input...


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## MicheleM (Nov 5, 2022)

"So naturally one can draw a conclusion that what I'm finding comes from a crashed asteroid" 
why do you think that?


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## orvi (Nov 5, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> No there's definitely nothing ordinary about these "rocks" I've been finding. Most of them are chock a block full of carbon crystals and tiny diamonds. So naturally one can draw a conclusion that what I'm finding comes from a crashed asteroid. A lot of nickel some Cobalt titanium I'm no professional and I understand your skepticism chances of someone finding these things extremely rare as you say yes but doesn't change the fact that I did find them and I'll find out more about them as I go appreciate your input...


If there is Co and Ni present in the ore, and there are "black spots" with ore concentration, your chances raise. All PMs present in mine-able form on Earth comes from old asteroid collisions by one theory. But that does not matter much for now 

I would advise to make a homogenous sample of the material. And then you can do practically two things:
XRF does work pretty OK with metallic samples. One option is to reductively smelt the ore with suitable collector metal (for this instance, copper could be the one of choice, if you have means how to heat it to above 1300°C or such). Prepare your sample by roasting it (if it contain sulfides), then add few grams of copper, flux and heat it pretty hot. Induction furnance will be the best, using graphite crucible. You will obtain metallic dore. If there were values in the ore, you will now clearly see them on XRF, when you shot the dore on Precious Metals mode. Order of a magnitude more reliably then shot of the plain ore sample. This is relatively low end and cheap approach. It doesn´t get you very accurate results, but you can fairly certainly prove that PMs are or aren´t in the sample.

Second option is to make homogenous sample and get it assayed by professional laboratory, which will perform professional PGMs assay, not just another XRF shot. Fire assay for PGMs coupled with probably ICP is the thing. This can cost some fairly high price, but you get bulletproof results which tell you what to do next


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## flashfossilized (Nov 5, 2022)

Ok, I'll get back to you next week and let you know what I came up with...


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## flashfossilized (Nov 6, 2022)

MicheleM said:


> "So naturally one can draw a conclusion that what I'm finding comes from a crashed asteroid"
> why do you think that?


I have my reasons and I'll elaborate on it more in the future...


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## Martijn (Nov 7, 2022)

If i would have 8% Ir ore (80kg per ton), I would be sending out a request for quotation to multiple qualified, licenced and experienced big mining companies in stead of tying to mine this extremely difficult metal myself. 
Let them have a piece of the pie and work for it. 

Sit back and collect the money.
Rediculous amounts of money. 
Piles and piles of it. 

One ton of ore would yield 80kg of Ir. That's 80×140.000= 11.2m euro per ton of ore. 
Indeed, that can only be an asteroid. I have no other explanation for that. 

Time to invest imo.
I think i can make it work for 0.5% of the profit. Maybe even less. 

For 11.2 milion per ton, you are relying on the xrf of a jewelers friend? How many times does the man scan jewelry with rocks in them? Or rocks with jewelry inside? Exept for the gemstones..
But really, i don't think a metal xrf based readout of rocks will ever be reliable. 

Great numbers, but likely not real.


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## slsmp40 (Nov 7, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> If the XRF don’t have the correct libraries and are set up for geology mode, it will read Arsenic as Ir.
> Are there Pt, Pd, Rh or Os in there too?
> You will almost never find Ir alone.
> 
> ...


A concentration that rich 30Kg/1000 would probably have its own subduction fault system. Isn’t it funny how people have access to a way expensive piece of lab equipment and they never read the manual. Flashfossilized you need to find a lab with a mass spectrometer and someone who knows how to use it. The sample you are describing has to much light element content for xrf to be useful. I am reasonably sure that a concentration of Ir as high as you describe is over the most rich iron-nickel meteors by several orders of magnitude. And beyond rocky meteors by several hundred orders of magnitude. In the supernova events that create Ir it is just not a really preferred element. So if what you have is actually what you think you have I believe it can be used as direct evidence of alien civilization, because it had to be non-naturally concentrated.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 10, 2022)

The jeweler that I'm speaking about was recommended to me by The jewelry exchange downtown. He knows what he's doing he's testing for gold and silver all day so I'm pretty sure he has his X-ray spectrometer set to the right settings. Usually charges $20 per test but he doesn't charge me for some reason I guess he likes me. I learned about the iridium content surely by accident, I originally wanted to know if the ingredients of the rocks I was finding were from outer space based on the tiny diamonds and carbon crystals so prevalent in all the specimens. At any rate once I realized there was a iridium in some of the rocks I was finding that started to recognize which ones would be the ones by their look and I started bringing more samples and having them tested and that's where I was getting my averages of how much within each rock 3 to 8%... Originally I was pursuing the fossil end of my findings but gave up on that. I failed to convince the science community that there was actually fossils to be found. All they wanted to see was pearlized bones of which I only had one these fossils I've been finding around cataloged there isn't even a classification for them. Anyway I'll post some pictures it's a long story it's part of my theory but it all pertains.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 10, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> The jeweler that I'm speaking about was recommended to me by The jewelry exchange downtown. He knows what he's doing he's testing for gold and silver all day so I'm pretty sure he has his X-ray spectrometer set to the right settings. Usually charges $20 per test but he doesn't charge me for some reason I guess he likes me. I learned about the iridium content surely by accident, I originally wanted to know if the ingredients of the rocks I was finding were from outer space based on the tiny diamonds and carbon crystals so prevalent in all the specimens. At any rate once I realized there was a radium in some of the rocks I was finding that started to recognize which ones would be the ones by their look and I started bringing more samples and having them tested and that's where I was getting my averages of how much within each rock 3 to 8%... Originally I was pursuing the fossil end of my findings but gave up on that but I failed to convince the science community that there was actually fossils to be found. All they wanted to see was paralyzed bones of which I only had one these fossils I've been finding around cataloged there isn't even a classification for them. Anyway I'll post some pictures it's a long story it's part of my theory but it all pertains.


Radium is highly radioactive and I have so far not heard of it in meteorites.
How did you test for Radium?
This picture do not seem like a Meteorite and at least not an Iron meteorite.
The Jewelers usually do not have geochem libraries in their XRFs. 
And using a XRF all day shooting Gold and Silver do not mean you know how to shoot a rock in a proper way.


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## kurtak (Nov 10, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> I have not had it assayed so to speak but *I have a jeweler who has an x-ray spectrometer* and he's zapped it for me and told me what I know I've had quite a few samples tested with the spectrometer



flashfossilized - per the bold print (above quote) you NEED to better understand how these XRF (x-ray spectrometers) actually work &/or how they are programed

Not all XRFs are created equal (programed the same)

XRFs are programed with a library of different elements in the library

The more elements programed into the library the *more expensive* the cost of the XRF is

Therefore the people that buy/use XRFs - buy them with a library of elements that best suits the needs of their business

In other words they buy an XRF with a library *limited* to the elements need in the library to conduct their daily business

Examples; --------

Jewelers - precious metal buyers & refineries will have an XRF with a library of all the PMs plus *some* of more common base metals found in PM alloys but *it won't have* all the base metals in the library --- there is no need for them to pay the extra cost for a complete library because they are only looking for the PMs & the more common base metals - so their XRF don't need a library of all elements

Scrap yards deal mostly with base metal alloys but not with PMs (Precious Metals) so they buy an XRF with a good BM (Base Metal) library but no PMs (other then maybe silver) in the library

Mining companies that work with ores (rocks) will have the most complete libraries because they are looking for both PMs & BMs as will as non metal elements such a silica

So XRFs are sold as -----------

1) XRF programed primarily for PM readings & limited BM readings
2) XRF programed primarily for BM readings & limited PM readings
3) XRF programed for Geo-Chemical to read both PMs & BMs as well as non metal elements

Therefore - if you shoot something (like a rock) with an XRF that has a limited library in the programing - & the XRF sees something in what you shoot* that is not* in the library - it will then *guess* at what it is & then tell you it is something that is in the library --- in other words it will lie to you

Here are two examples of my personal experience with XRFs

When I first started refining I took my first gold button into a scrap yard that had an XRF - it was a BM XRF so when they shot the gold button it called the gold tungsten --- that is because the library did not have gold in the program but it did have tungsten - so it guessed it was tungsten & therefore lied about what it was seeing

Then a few years ago some of use got together over in England - Jon had a PM XRF - Goran brought a piece of arsenic ore with him - we shot the ore with Jon's XRF - because arsenic was not in the library & therefore did not recognize the arsenic it guessed at what it was seeing & called it iridium

You can read about that here ---------









False Iridium finds


Guys A few know but it's not been publicised however Deano, Nickvc, Goran, Kurtak, and Patnor are all spending a week together here in the UK having a bit of a "get together." The information that's coming out as we share things face to face is pretty incredible and there's already one major...




goldrefiningforum.com





So --- more then likely - the Jeweler you are taking your rocks to has a PM XRF & it more then likely has the same PM programed library that Jon's XRF has --- therefore it likely does not have arsenic in the library - so when it sees the arsenic - but does not recognize it - it *guesses* at what it is & calls it iridium

I could be wrong - but I am willing to bet that is the case

The only way to tell for sure is to have an actual PGM assay done on your rocks

In no way would I trust the XRF reading from your Jeweler because he is likely using a PM XRF with a limited library - that does not have arsenic in the library - & therefore is calling arsenic iridium

Kurt


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## flashfossilized (Nov 10, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> The jeweler that I'm speaking about was recommended to me by The jewelry exchange downtown. He knows what he's doing he's testing for gold and silver all day so I'm pretty sure he has his X-ray spectrometer set to the right settings. Usually charges $20 per test but he doesn't charge me for some reason I guess he likes me. I learned about the iridium content surely by accident, I originally wanted to know if the ingredients of the rocks I was finding were from outer space based on the tiny diamonds and carbon crystals so prevalent in all the specimens. At any rate once I realized there was a radium in some of the rocks I was finding that started to recognize which ones would be the ones by their look and I started bringing more samples and having them tested and that's where I was getting my averages of how much within each rock 3 to 8%... Originally I was pursuing the fossil end of my findings but gave up on that but I failed to convince the science community that there was actually fossils to be found. All they wanted to see was paralyzed bones of which I only had one these fossils I've been finding around cataloged there isn't even a classification for them. Anyway I'll post some pictures it's a long story it's part of my theory but it all pertains.





Yggdrasil said:


> Radium is highly radioactive and I have so far not heard of it in meteorites.
> How did you test for Radium?
> This picture do not seem like a Meteorite and at least not an Iron meteorite.
> The Jewelers usually do not have geochem libraries in their XRFs.
> And using a XRF all day shooting Gold and Silver do not mean you know how to shoot a rock in a proper way.


Radium was obviously a typo I fixed just now. The only reason you're questioning my jewelers capabilities is because you are reluctant to believe. So how about we save all the doubt and give me a week to come back with more solid and compelling evidence que no?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 10, 2022)

kurtak said:


> flashfossilized - per the bold print (above quote) you NEED to better understand how these XRF (x-ray spectrometers) actually work &/or how they are programed
> 
> Not all XRFs are created equal (programed the same)
> 
> ...


More will be revealed...


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 10, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Radium was obviously a typo I fixed just now. The only reason you're questioning my jewelers capabilities is because you are reluctant to believe. So how about we save all the doubt and give me a week to come back with more solid and compelling evidence que no?


So now you removed the Radium?? I don't know your typing skills, but mine don't make words by themselves 
When you edit a post, plaese give a short notice of what has been done, to keep replies before the editing in context.
Interesting that you know my intents by replying, this time though you are wrong.
The Iridium paradox is something we see all the time, so we try to give advice, so the members are prepared for the crash that usually comes.
Several members has given you good advice.
Only one thing can verify the content and that is a full PGM assay.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 10, 2022)

Trudat, another splendid way to satisfy your insatiable curiosity will be to post the receipt I save from the first ounce of iridium I sell... Now what? Woohoo!


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## Martijn (Nov 10, 2022)

I sure hope you've found a honeypot. 
Please do keep us updated, even if results are disappointing.


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## FrugalRefiner (Nov 10, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Trudat, another splendid way to satisfy your insatiable curiosity will be to post the receipt I save from the first ounce of iridium I sell... Now what? Woohoo!


Please do not use text lingo here. Many of our members have to use translators to read the forum, and things like "Trudat" can cause dangerous situations.

Dave


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## galenrog (Nov 10, 2022)

Dave is right. Use real words, not slang of any kind. I use translation programs to communicate with relatives in a few European countries. Slang of any kind rarely translates properly.

As to the XRF results you received, they are false readings caused by an XRF loaded with a Precious Metal library. To accomplish any analysis with an XRF on rocks or mineral samples, a Geochemical library is necessary. And yes, an XRF with PM library will nearly always interpret arsenic as iridium. 

You have been well advised to prepare for extreme disappointment.

Time for more coffee.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 10, 2022)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Please do not use text lingo here. Many of our members have to use translators to read the forum, and things like "Trudat" can cause dangerous situations.
> 
> Dave


otay...


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## flashfossilized (Nov 11, 2022)

kurtak said:


> flashfossilized - per the bold print (above quote) you NEED to better understand how these XRF (x-ray spectrometers) actually work &/or how they are programed
> 
> Not all XRFs are created equal (programed the same)
> 
> ...


Or here's a beautiful thought... The jeweler who owns his corner of paradise, is so filthy rich that he can afford to splurge on a top of the line spectrometer fully equipped with every library money can buy and even some libraries he'll never need and more than likely will never use. At least that's what he thought till the day I showed up with iridium in my rocks... Woohoo!


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## flashfossilized (Nov 11, 2022)

galenrog said:


> Dave is right. Use real words, not slang of any kind. I use translation programs to communicate with relatives in a few European countries. Slang of any kind rarely translates properly.
> 
> As to the XRF results you received, they are false readings caused by an XRF loaded with a Precious Metal library. To accomplish any analysis with an XRF on rocks or mineral samples, a Geochemical library is necessary. And yes, an XRF with PM library will nearly always interpret arsenic as iridium.
> 
> ...


Don't hate because God blessed me with an awesome find. I give Him all the glory. Had it not been for His Holy Spirit leading me to this precious treasure I never would have found anything on my own. As far as disappointment goes you can save that warning for someone who needs it. Suffice it to say I'm so confident now that I no longer have to folley in trivial speculation... Woohoo!


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 11, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Don't hate because God blessed me with an awesome find. I give Him all the glory. Had it not been for His Holy Spirit leading me to this precious treasure I never would have found anything on my own. As far as disappointment goes you can save that warning for someone who needs it. Suffice it to say I'm so confident now that I no longer have to folley in trivial speculation... Woohoo!


Not many are able to refine Ir, and those will not touch it without proper assay, 
so if you are going to do something else with it, than brag to your friends about the pile i the corner, i suggest you get the assay done.


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## MicheleM (Nov 11, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Don't hate because God blessed me with an awesome find. I give Him all the glory. Had it not been for His Holy Spirit leading me to this precious treasure I never would have found anything on my own. As far as disappointment goes you can save that warning for someone who needs it. Suffice it to say I'm so confident now that I no longer have to folley in trivial speculation... Woohoo!


Excellent. Then now you can stop to write here, right?


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## Timberwolfrc (Nov 11, 2022)

Your samples look like they come from a lake or ocean bed or was it a stream bed?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 12, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> Not many are able to refine Ir, and those will not touch it without proper assay,
> so if you are going to do something else with it, than brag to your friends about the pile i the corner, i suggest you get the assay done.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 12, 2022)

You're right I should get an assay done. And I will once I have a suitable amount refined and ready to sell. Let me ask you something, how pure must it be for someone to want to buy it? What percentage is required for a buyer to be interested in purchasing? It's going to be re-refined I'm told so what says you?


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## kreinhardt (Nov 13, 2022)

The suggestion is to do an assay before refining, not after. The assay is done with an ore sample to determine if there is cause to proceed with refining.


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## kurtak (Nov 13, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> And I will once I have a suitable amount refined and ready to sell.


Hmmmm - very interesting - I am VERY interested in hearing how you intend to recover/refine iridium out of the rocks --- (or I should say what you believe to be iridium out of the rocks)

Do you intend to use a leaching process - or do you intend to use a smelting process 

Kurt


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## samuel-a (Nov 13, 2022)

You can send me a 500g ground sample, and I'll assay it for you.
It is not cheap though.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 13, 2022)

kreinhardt said:


> The suggestion is to do an assay before refining, not after. The assay is done with an ore sample to determine if there is cause to proceed with refining.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 13, 2022)

That's where we differ. See, as crazy this sounds, I have enough faith in what I'm doing to proceed without wasting money I can't afford to squander on an assay I don't need. Faith is the belief of substance unseen. You need to loosen up. If you're too rigid you're not giving God anything to work with when it comes to Him building your character. Did you know that Jesus Christ was and is and will always be a scientist? Don't you fret none about the assay, I'll be getting that done when I've got a decent amount of processed product to sell... Woohoo!


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## flashfossilized (Nov 13, 2022)

kurtak said:


> Hmmmm - very interesting - I am VERY interested in hearing how you intend to recover/refine iridium out of the rocks --- (or I should say what you believe to be iridium out of the rocks)
> 
> Do you intend to use a leaching process - or do you intend to use a smelting process
> 
> Kurt


No I've broken down the noble metal atoms with agua regia. Then I took the dried up iridium crystals and have begun smelting them back to the metal they once were...


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## flashfossilized (Nov 13, 2022)

samuel-a said:


> You can send me a 500g ground sample, and I'll assay it for you.
> It is not cheap though.


I know it's not cheap are you saying if I send it to you you'll do it for free?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 13, 2022)

Can anyone tell me what percentage my final product needs to be in order to sell after I've refined the iridium I found?


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 13, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> I know it's not cheap are you saying if I send it to you you'll do it for free?


No, he is saying the Assay is not cheap.
Do you have the capacity to melt the Iridium metal?
It is usually done with High frequency induction heaters or electron beam furnaces.

Edit for spelling


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 13, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Can anyone tell me what percentage my final product needs to be in order to sell after I've refined the iridium I found?


You do not take sound advice regarding testing so why would you believe anyone if they advice a percentage?


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 13, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> No I've broken down the noble metal atoms with agua regia. Then I took the dried up iridium crystals and have begun smelting them back to the metal they once were...


You know that the black substance in the bottom of the beaker when you have dissolved the Platinum in AR usually is the Iridium and Rhodium.
Rhodium is very hard to dissolve and Iridium is even harder.

Edit for spelling


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## galenrog (Nov 13, 2022)

Until flashfossilized has measurable results, I believe this thread should end. He clearly believes, based on his posts, that he is far more knowledgeable and capable than the people he has sought advice from. If that is indeed the case, he needs nothing from the Forum.

Once he has measurable results, his gloating can begin.

Time for more coffee.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 13, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> No, he is saying the Assay is not cheap.
> Do uou have the capacity to melt the Iridium metal?
> It is usually done eith High frequncy induction heaters or electron beam furnaces.


Good question, I'm currently shopping for a used induction furnace. I want to get one that has the capacity to reach 5000 degrees F. If I was a rich man I would buy a new one, but for now I will have to be happy with a used one...


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 13, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Good question, I'm currently shopping for a used induction furnace. I want to get one that has the capacity to reach 5000 degrees F. If I was a rich man I would buy a new one, but for now I will have to be happy with a used one...


Save your money for an Assay, PGMs are usually easier to sell as sponge/powder.
It needs refining anyway.


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## FrugalRefiner (Nov 13, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> That's where we differ. See, as crazy this sounds, I have enough faith in what I'm doing to proceed without wasting money I can't afford to squander on an assay I don't need. Faith is the belief of substance unseen. You need to loosen up. If you're too rigid you're not giving God anything to work with when it comes to Him building your character. Did you know that Jesus Christ was and is and will always be a scientist? Don't you fret none about the assay, I'll be getting that done when I've got a decent amount of processed product to sell... Woohoo!


You need to review the Gold Refining Forum Rules.

Do Not post about religion. This is the only warning you will get. If you bring religion up again, you will be banned.

Dave


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## cejohnsonsr1 (Nov 13, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Can anyone tell me what percentage my final product needs to be in order to sell after I've refined the iridium I found?


Without an assay you can’t possibly have any idea how much, if any, precious metals are present in your ore. That’s the entire point and purpose of doing an assay. Your original question isn’t possible to answer because there’s no such thing as an average content of any precious metal in any ore. The ore could be very rich and therefore worth the expense of further processing beyond the iron. Or it could be absolutely devoid of anything but iron. Without an assay you won’t know until after you’ve wasted a lot of time and money to find out that all you have is iron.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

cejohnsonsr1 said:


> Without an assay you can’t possibly have any idea how much, if any, precious metals are present in your ore. That’s the entire point and purpose of doing an assay. Your original question isn’t possible to answer because there’s no such thing as an average content of any precious metal in any ore. The ore could be very rich and therefore worth the expense of further processing beyond the iron. Or it could be absolutely devoid of anything but iron. Without an assay you won’t know until after you’ve wasted a lot of time and money to find out that all you have is iron.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

Yeah, the official scientific mandatory evidence must have an assay to qualify and pursue any further that's one way to go about it and then there's a guy like me who doesn't even know what he's doing but knows what he has is learned and had to teach himself the internet everything he's got so far as far as knowledge goes towards this iridium subject those guys like me that we got to feel for it you know I see some specimens that have that iridium look in the rocks that I bust up so I know that it's there I don't need to assay I know how much is there there's enough there that I got to pursue pointed out of those iron iron ore deposits I've been finding it in so don't don't trip on the last day you go get your assay for your iridium stock and feel good about it I don't want no assay I've got a lot of faith that I'm going to pull this off and I'll let you know about it later so don't trip potato chip... Woohoo!


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

FrugalRefiner said:


> You need to review the Gold Refining Forum Rules.
> 
> Do Not post about religion. This is the only warning you will get. If you bring religion up again, you will be banned.
> 
> Dave


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

You want to ban me because I believe in Jesus well you'll just be fulfilling in all his prophecies if you got to do that. I ain't talking no religion I'm talking relationship. I believe God made iridium available for you to even talk about how do you like me now? I'm not pushing anything on anyone I'm just trying to get some suggestions and learn some things about iridium have a good night sir...


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> You do not take sound advice regarding testing so why would you believe anyone if they advice a percentage?


I have a general idea that needs to be in the ballpark of 86% before anyone's going to want to even buy it does that sound about correct to you?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> You know that the black substance in the bottom of the beaker when you have dissolved the Platinum in AR usually is the Iridium and Rhodium.
> Rhodium is very hard to fissolve and Iridium is even harder.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

galenrog said:


> Until flashfossilized has measurable results, I believe this thread should end. He clearly believes, based on his posts, that he is far more knowledgeable and capable than the people he has sought advice from. If that is indeed the case, he needs nothing from the Forum.
> 
> Once he has measurable results, his gloating can begin.
> 
> Time for more coffee.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

Whatever dude, ain't nobody knows much about iridium that's for damn sure ain't a whole lot of knowledge out there but I'll let you know later whatever


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

Yeah that's what I've been trying to smelt that I can't get it hot enough but I will eventually once I get a induction furnace for this but that stuff down at the end of the down at the bottom of the bottle of the aqua regia that Sledge that's the stuff it's all iridium crystals it rhodium crystals palladium crystals. It's all good...


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## VK3NHL (Nov 14, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Yeah, the official scientific mandatory evidence must have an assay to qualify and pursue any further that's one way to go about it and then there's a guy like me who doesn't even know what he's doing but knows what he has is learned and had to teach himself the internet everything he's got so far as far as knowledge goes towards this iridium subject those guys like me that we got to feel for it you know I see some specimens that have that iridium look in the rocks that I bust up so I know that it's there I don't need to assay I know how much is there there's enough there that I got to pursue pointed out of those iron iron ore deposits I've been finding it in so don't don't trip on the last day you go get your assay for your iridium stock and feel good about it I don't want no assay I've got a lot of faith that I'm going to pull this off and I'll let you know about it later so don't trip potato chip... Woohoo!


Could this be the longest sentence in history.?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

VK3NHL said:


> Could this be the longest sentence in history.?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 14, 2022)

Thanks buddy a little bit of good humor is really what we needed in this touchy column... Woohoo!


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Yeah, the official scientific mandatory evidence must have an assay to qualify and pursue any further that's one way to go about it and then there's a guy like me who doesn't even know what he's doing but knows what he has is learned and had to teach himself the internet everything he's got so far as far as knowledge goes towards this iridium subject those guys like me that we got to feel for it you know I see some specimens that have that iridium look in the rocks that I bust up so I know that it's there I don't need to assay I know how much is there there's enough there that I got to pursue pointed out of those iron iron ore deposits I've been finding it in so don't don't trip on the last day you go get your assay for your iridium stock and feel good about it I don't want no assay I've got a lot of faith that I'm going to pull this off and I'll let you know about it later so don't trip potato chip... Woohoo!


You could try to use commas, periods and line breaks.
Now it is hard to read.

Even if you are right, without an assay you do not know how to process your ore.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> You want to ban me because I believe in Jesus well you'll just be fulfilling in all his prophecies if you got to do that. I ain't talking no religion I'm talking relationship. I believe God made iridium available for you to even talk about how do you like me now? I'm not pushing anything on anyone I'm just trying to get some suggestions and learn some things about iridium have a good night sir...


You can believe in what ever for all we care, but you can not push it in here.
I’ll leave your destiny to Dave

Edited to avoid religious references


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Whatever dude, ain't nobody knows much about iridium that's for damn sure ain't a whole lot of knowledge out there but I'll let you know later whatever


There are plenty knowledge about Iridium in here, but the ones processing it with regularity have not chimed in yet.
Maybe that can tell you something?


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Yeah that's what I've been trying to smelt that I can't get it hot enough but I will eventually once I get a induction furnace for this but that stuff down at the end of the down at the bottom of the bottle of the aqua regia that Sledge that's the stuff it's all iridium crystals it rhodium crystals palladium crystals. It's all good...


Palladium will dissolve in Nitric alone, there should not be Pd left after a proper AR digest.
Much of the Rh and some of the Ir will be dissolved too.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Thanks buddy a little bit of good humor is really what we needed in this touchy column... Woohoo!


What kind if contraption is this?
If you hope to dissolve any refractory metal, it needs to be exposed to the heat not hidden inside something.

With an oxy acetylene torch and proper heat management you should be able to melt small amounts if Ir and Rh.


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## Lou (Nov 14, 2022)

Man, if I had a dime for every time someone had iridium or rhodium in their rocks, I'd have at least a couple bucks in change. All I have now is a deep respect for armchair experts in geology and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

Ok, I'm off to refine some iridium...and get more coffee.


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## kurtak (Nov 14, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> No I've broken down the noble metal atoms with agua regia.


I asked if you are using a leaching process or a smelting process - you answer --- *No* - I've broken down the noble metal atoms with agua regia.

AR (agua regia) is a leaching process !!! --- therefore your answer should be --- *YES* - I am using an AR leaching process --- & for you information AR will NOT dissolve iridium (break iridium down into it's noble metal atoms) --- NOT GOING TO HAPPEN !!!


flashfossilized said:


> then there's a guy like me who doesn't even know what he's doing *but knows what he has is learned and had to teach himself the internet *everything he's got so far


Per the bold print - the internet - can & often is one of the worst places you can go to for finding information about refining - the internet is LOADED with "backyard hacks" playing with chemicals & have NO clue about what they are really doing & as result MUCH of what you find on the internet is LOADED with mis-information - incomplete information & even OFTEN out right wrong information

This forum was originally put together by some of the *worlds very best LARGE scale* refiners in the world

Refiners that ether consulted for LARGE world class refineries - ran LARGE world class refineries &/or owned their own LARGE world class refineries

As a result of the knowledge these LARGE WORLD CLASS refiners have shared on this forum we have had a GOOD MANY other members achieve the knowledge to start - run & own their own small - mid size & even large refineries - I happen to be just one of those MANY (though I am now retired) These are professional refiners that make their living EVERDAY refining PMs (Precious Metals)

We have even MANY more members that only work at a hobby level & though they only work at a hobby level - they are every bit as good at refining as the LARGE scale refiners because of the information provided on this forum 

My point flashfossilized is that you have just joined the *worlds VERY BEST source of information *about refining PMs - you will find no better source of information anywhere else other then here

EVERYDAY we get new members (like you) that come here with problems & often times BIG messes - that we need to help fix - as a result of the information they find on the internet BEFORE coming here

In other words flashfossilized this forum is not just bunch of "backyard hacks" - playing with chemicals & calling themselves refiners --- rather - we are actual refiners discussing actual refining & as well we help "backyard hacks" with the problems they come here with AFTER they finally find this forum

As a new member here - don't you think you should be listening to the advice being given to you - by some of the worlds best refiners --- instead of assuming - thinking - that we are just a bunch of backyard hacks --- & therefore also assuming that you can tell us how much we don't know & how much more you do know 

Taking on that kind of attitude - will sooner or later result in your being banned from this forum - which will in turn result in you loosing the very best source of information about refining you can ever hope to find

So your path forward is now up to you - you can start listening & learning - or ???? & see how long you last here

My next post will be an example of just how much good advice you are being given - good advice that you are currently ignoring

Kurt


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

kurtak said:


> I asked if you are using a leaching process or a smelting process - you answer --- *No* - I've broken down the noble metal atoms with agua regia.
> 
> AR (agua regia) is a leaching process !!! --- therefore your answer should be --- *YES* - I am using an AR leaching process --- & for you information AR will NOT dissolve iridium (break iridium down into it's noble metal atoms) --- NOT GOING TO HAPPEN !!!
> 
> ...


Seems he is gone, no wonder though.


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## orvi (Nov 14, 2022)

If all promised iridium, platinum or most importantly, rhodium, that was ever "shown and offered" to me was real, I would be millionaire  But guess what, I am not...
Some people can´t bear crushing their premises and dreams  but in my opinion, it need to be done as quickly as possible, for sake of their own good.


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## kurtak (Nov 14, 2022)

Lou said:


> *Man, if I had a dime for every time someone had iridium or rhodium in their rocks, I'd have at least a couple bucks in change.* All I have now is a deep respect for armchair experts in geology and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.
> 
> Ok, I'm off to refine some iridium...and get more coffee.


Flashfossilized - per the bold print - allow me to tell you who Lou is & what he is trying to tell you here

Lou has set up & runs *4 VERY LARGE refineries* - he also *specializes* in the refining of PGMs (Platinum Group Metals) --- in fact because he is one of the *worlds very best* refiners of PGMs - other LARGE SCALE refiners that focus mostly on gold & silver send their PGMs to Lou for actual refining

PGM refining is WAY more complicated then refining gold or silver - therefore many of even the largest refineries focus on gold & silver - & then send their PGMs out to refineries that specialize in PGM refining

Companies like Johnson Matthey --- or Lou 

Lou is being vary sarcastic in what he posted - why ?

Because - as a world leader in PGM refining - *IF *(the VERY BIG IF) every time someone came to him with an XRF readout on a rock - claiming the rock had iridium in it - he would have money in his pocket - likely LOTS OF MONEY

The problem is - Lou does not have that money in his pocket from these XRF readings on rock - & that is because most every time - *if not every time* - that XRF reading for iridium - *turns out to be arsenic* 

That is what everyone - including now Lou - is trying to tell you --- you can not trust an XRF readout - *on a rock* - that claims to have iridium in it - & that is because most of the time - *if not ALL the time* - the iridium turns out to be arsenic

If you REALLY want to know you MUST send *the rock* in for a PGM assay & you need to tell them you are looking for the iridium 

You - most certainly will not get the iridium out of the rock (IF it is even there) with AR leaching - you will just create a bunch of TOXIC chemical waste

You are NOT the first person to come here with a (false) claim of iridium in rocks --- based on an XRF readout

Read this thread again ----









False Iridium finds


Guys A few know but it's not been publicised however Deano, Nickvc, Goran, Kurtak, and Patnor are all spending a week together here in the UK having a bit of a "get together." The information that's coming out as we share things face to face is pretty incredible and there's already one major...




goldrefiningforum.com





80% iridium turned out to be 80% arsenic

Kurt


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## kurtak (Nov 14, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> Seems he is gone, no wonder though.


Oh well 

hopefully what I have posted will *help others* 

Kurt


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

kurtak said:


> Oh well
> 
> hopefully what I have posted will *help others*
> 
> Kurt


Sometimes I wish I had my hair back….
Ohh well, less painful this way

It should help, but when the fever rages…
I will not hold my breath, but one can hope


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## FrugalRefiner (Nov 14, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> Seems he is gone, no wonder though.


I only banned him for one week. If he returns, I hope he will have used that week to come to appreciate our rules, and the consequences for not following them.

Dave


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## Lou (Nov 14, 2022)

Thanks for the kind words, Kurt. 

I don't consider myself an expert, but I've refined thousands and thousands of ounces of iridium from a variety of interesting materials. I like to think I work with some of the world's best  

Fact is, Ir is just so rare and only commercially viable from such a few places...
I understand why people get their hopes up, but even if by some stroke of great fortune he had iridium...it's not easy to sell.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 14, 2022)

Lou said:


> Thanks for the kind words, Kurt.
> 
> I don't consider myself an expert, but I've refined thousands and thousands of ounces of iridium from a variety of interesting materials. I like to think I work with some of the world's best
> 
> ...


Always good to hear your insights.

A small question, do you primarily leach/fuse the Ir or do you also do smelting/melting?
And do you only treat pre refined material or do you touch ores from time to time?


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## MicheleM (Nov 14, 2022)

Lou said:


> Thanks for the kind words, Kurt.
> 
> I don't consider myself an expert, but I've refined thousands and thousands of ounces of iridium from a variety of interesting materials. I like to think I work with some of the world's best
> 
> ...


I'm curious to know what kind of materials are made of Ir alloys


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## FrugalRefiner (Nov 14, 2022)

Do keep in mind that Lou provides for his family by the work he does. He has spent his lifetime developing his knowledge and experience. He isn't always free to discuss what he processes or how he does it.

Dave


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 15, 2022)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Do keep in mind that Lou provides for his family by the work he does. He has spent his lifetime developing his knowledge and experience. He isn't always free to discuss what he processes or how he does it.
> 
> Dave


I tried to do questions generic enough to avoid revealing secrets


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## Lou (Nov 15, 2022)

There really isn't iridium ore per se, there's just iridium as a byproduct of NiS separation from chromium during the matting process with Transvaal ores in S. Africa. By the time it's in the NiS it's already quite concentrated relative to in the original ore body. After removing the NiS it's very high grade. This is what's done at Lonmin, Anglo, Impala, etc. 

We primarily process Ir from solids (i.e. spark plugs, crucibles), catalysts, chloralkali, and mostly refinery intermediates (i.e. pH 6 cake, or hydrolysis cake) from the primary producers and refiners of other PGMs.

How it is solubilized is entirely dependent on which impurities are in it, form etc.

No smelting is used at all.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 15, 2022)

Lou said:


> There really isn't iridium ore per se, there's just iridium as a byproduct of NiS separation from chromium during the matting process with Transvaal ores in S. Africa. By the time it's in the NiS it's already quite concentrated relative to in the original ore body. After removing the NiS it's very high grade. This is what's done at Lonmin, Anglo, Impala, etc.
> 
> We primarily process Ir from solids (i.e. spark plugs, crucibles), catalysts, chloralkali, and mostly refinery intermediates (i.e. pH 6 cake, or hydrolysis cake) from the primary producers and refiners of other PGMs.
> 
> ...


Informative as always.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 15, 2022)

Lou said:


> There really isn't iridium ore per se, there's just iridium as a byproduct of NiS separation from chromium during the matting process with Transvaal ores in S. Africa. By the time it's in the NiS it's already quite concentrated relative to in the original ore body. After removing the NiS it's very high grade. This is what's done at Lonmin, Anglo, Impala, etc.
> 
> We primarily process Ir from solids (i.e. spark plugs, crucibles), catalysts, chloralkali, and mostly refinery intermediates (i.e. pH 6 cake, or hydrolysis cake) from the primary producers and refiners of other PGMs.
> 
> ...


Can you outline different methods of solubilization, with out breaking any rules?

AR is a terrible method that hardly work, according to what I have read so far.
Of course there are different excotic ways with pressure and so on, but it is usually quite shrouded from us mere mortals.

It is always nice to peek behind the curtain of the magic room, from time to time


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## Lou (Nov 15, 2022)

Sodium peroxide fusion.
Barium peroxide fusion.

NaCl + Cl2.


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## orvi (Nov 20, 2022)

MicheleM said:


> I'm curious to know what kind of materials are made of Ir alloys


Recently, I processed various old relays with PtIr10 contact points. Very rare material, not common, USSR made in the 60s - late80s. Honestly, aside of "common" sources like various wild PGM/BM/strange metals like Re, Hf or Nb/Ta mixtures used as catalytic beds for whatever purpose in industry, this is the first time I get my hands on some Ir material. 
And knowing from the beginning, that I won't be paid for it makes that feeling even worse  one of the rarest metals on Earth... I should keep that, too precious for me to sell


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## MicheleM (Nov 20, 2022)

Yes, i agree. I would buy a 1/2 gram Iridium nugget just to have a look to the rarest metal on the earth (or at least not in the nucleus) .


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## flashfossilized (Nov 27, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> You could try to use commas, periods and line breaks.
> Now it is hard to read.
> 
> Even if you are right, without an assay you do not know how to process your ore.


Well that's mighty presumptuous of you. You're right I had no idea how to do what I'm trying to do prior to me having to teach myself through the internet. But it's pretty cool YouTube little videos that I was able to gather enough information to do just what you said I can't do or not don't know how to do. Yes he really is one of the hardest probably the hardest the most challenging elements on the planet to process from iron ore. That hasn't stopped me I like a good challenge anyway.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 27, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> You can believe in what ever for all we care, but you can not push it in here.
> I’ll leave your destiny to Dave
> 
> Edited to avoid religious references


Whatever dude


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## flashfossilized (Nov 27, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> There are plenty knowledge about Iridium in here, but the ones processing it with regularity have not chimed in yet.
> Maybe that can tell you something?


Well I hope they're making lots of money silence is golden


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## flashfossilized (Nov 27, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> Palladium will dissolve in Nitric alone, there should not be Pd left after a proper AR digest.
> Much of the Rh and some of the Ir will be dissolved too.


Other word nothing left but Noble metal crystals at the bottom of the jar. There wasn't nothing left but what I wanted. Iridium crystals to melt...


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## flashfossilized (Nov 27, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> What kind if contraption is this?
> If you hope to dissolve any refractory metal, it needs to be exposed to the heat not hidden inside something.
> 
> With an oxy acetylene torch and proper heat management you should be able to melt small amounts if Ir and Rh.


Well said, about the only way to go about it till I get an induction forge.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 27, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Other word nothing left but Noble metal crystals at the bottom of the jar. There wasn't nothing left but what I wanted. Iridium crystals to melt...


And Base metal Oxides, Silver Oxide and more.
All which is orders of magnitude more common than Ir metal.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 27, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Well that's mighty presumptuous of you. You're right I had no idea how to do what I'm trying to do prior to me having to teach myself through the internet. But it's pretty cool YouTube little videos that I was able to gather enough information to do just what you said I can't do or not don't know how to do. Yes he really is one of the hardest probably the hardest the most challenging elements on the planet to process from iron ore. That hasn't stopped me I like a good challenge anyway.


Can you tell me what is presumptuous here?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> And Base metal Oxides, Silver Oxide and more.
> All which is orders of magnitude more common than Ir metal.


1. You're basing your assumptions on findings you're familiar with from wherever you are in the world. 2. What I'm working with here where I am isn't your garden variety content of iridium in the ore. So for you to come to your bias, one-sided and not to mention jealously loaded conclusions, a body has to wonder what's driving your negative aspect on anything I'm doing and what if any good is your alleged professional opinion?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

kurtak said:


> I asked if you are using a leaching process or a smelting process - you answer --- *No* - I've broken down the noble metal atoms with agua regia.
> 
> AR (agua regia) is a leaching process !!! --- therefore your answer should be --- *YES* - I am using an AR leaching process --- & for you information AR will NOT dissolve iridium (break iridium down into it's noble metal atoms) --- NOT GOING TO HAPPEN !!!
> 
> ...


Funny, I know nothing about anything yet somehow managed to learn enough to concoct io with little bit more nitric than hydrochloric and Bam wouldn't you know I was able to break down the iridium atoms into crystals so you may know everything about anything and I may know nothing about what I'm saying but apparently I did something but nobody else did and now I have what I wanted and I'm going to melt it so there it is there big shot thanks for your advice hasn't helped yet you understand I don't play by the book sometimes you got to just do your own thing to get the job done good day sir...


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> Can you tell me what is presumptuous here?


Your attitude...


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Your attitude...


To continue in the spirit of your rant here, you know nothing about me and you still manage to understand my drive???
You really want to be banned permanently do you?

Please behave and keep a civil language without biting at everyone that try to help you, at least if you want to continue being a member here.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Funny, I know nothing about anything yet somehow managed to learn enough to concoct io with little bit more nitric than hydrochloric and Bam wouldn't you know I was able to break down the iridium atoms into crystals so you may know everything about anything and I may know nothing about what I'm saying but apparently I did something but nobody else did and now I have what I wanted and I'm going to melt it so there it is there big shot thanks for your advice hasn't helped yet you understand I don't play by the book sometimes you got to just do your own thing to get the job done good day sir...


No one in here can break down any atoms into anything. For that you need a nuclear bomb or a large collider.


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## Lou (Nov 29, 2022)

You know, the expression feeding the troll comes to mind.

At first I just thought it was somebody who legitimately thought that they had iridium. Y'know...someone who dug around and found some shiny rocks and thought they'd be worth something. I was that person when I was a kid. Got me interested in metals digging around in a bunch of marble and finding pyrite pieces. I figure this person goes to a "we buy shiny rocks" store where someone with an expensive (and useless for shiny rocks) shiny analyzer analyzed the rocks and said they can't buy them but they have eerydayum. That someone then got on google, researched up the actual element "iridium", realized it comes from meteorites (hence flashfossilizebd) and became convinced shiny rocks would make them rich. 

Now I realize it's someone who legitimately is having fun with us.

Remember, the most dangerous person to fool is yourself.


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## orvi (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Funny, I know nothing about anything yet somehow managed to learn enough to concoct io with little bit more nitric than hydrochloric and Bam wouldn't you know I was able to break down the iridium atoms into crystals so you may know everything about anything and I may know nothing about what I'm saying but apparently I did something but nobody else did and now I have what I wanted and I'm going to melt it so there it is there big shot thanks for your advice hasn't helped yet you understand I don't play by the book sometimes you got to just do your own thing to get the job done good day sir...


It is very rare to find practically any PGMs in ordinary iron ores. Most of the PGMs are found in Ni-Co deposits, where they occupy places in the crystal lattice of sulfides.

Geology isn´t favourable in way of deposition of PGMs into the iron ores. And that said, look for the minerals which are associated with PGM metals. Very rarely they are something other than sulfides, tellurides or arsenides, or associated with bismuth, selenium etc. Also, formation of these deposits is vastly different in comparison with typical iron ore deposits. In terms of they physical formation, precipitation from hydrotherms, zonation etc... Very complicated stuff. All in all, I do not know about any deposit of PGMs, apart from placer mining, that isn´t associated with sulfides.

We believe in science, scientific analysis and actual results. So I regularly work in my job as researcher according to the actual facts. New ideas are very welcome, you can get on them, proceed further and IF YOU GAIN EVIDENCE that it actually is something, then you proceed further. Rather than wasting your career on something that actually isn´t real.


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## orvi (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> 1. You're basing your assumptions on findings you're familiar with from wherever you are in the world. 2. What I'm working with here where I am isn't your garden variety content of iridium in the ore. So for you to come to your bias, one-sided and not to mention jealously loaded conclusions, a body has to wonder what's driving your negative aspect on anything I'm doing and what if any good is your alleged professional opinion?


I´ll broke it up a little bit.

Assuming you have 3% of Ir in your rocks. That is great. Now you need to sell it to the refinery. Otherwise you cannot liquidate it for money. They will demant analysis, or propose their own analysis for quite a fee  *without proper fire assay, there will be no purchase anyway.*

So if your belief is so hard that you were destined to have iridium, and it is a gift as you say... Do an assay of it. Go ahead. If there is iridium in any form, assay would reveal it. Or you are afraid that they will intentionally tell you that there is no Ir in the sample ? They want to make profit, there is no point for them in doing that. You cannot assay for Ir at home, you cannot melt it, you cannot analyze it. Even in induction furnance, it would be very tough... 

That is the way you must undergo (if you are happy or not about it), if you want to proceed somewhere in this situation. Believing is good for you, refineries work on evidence. If you want to cross that border, you will need to go the traditional way 

By the way, the jeweller you mentioned in the beginning of this mile long thread probably never seen iridium in his whole life  Practically speaking, if I place Fe, Ni, Co and whole 6 PGMs as foils in front of you, your chance of picking up Ir would be 1/9


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> To continue in the spirit of your rant here, you know nothing about me and you still manage to understand my drive???
> You really want to be banned permanently do you?
> 
> Please behave and keep a civil language without biting at everyone that try to help you, at least if you want to continue being a member here.


Why don't you come down up your high horse and stop pretending like you're trying to help people when you're just throwing out negative, baseless opinions...


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

Lou said:


> Man, if I had a dime for every time someone had iridium or rhodium in their rocks, I'd have at least a couple bucks in change. All I have now is a deep respect for armchair experts in geology and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.
> 
> Ok, I'm off to refine some iridium...and get more coffee.


Enjoy


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

orvi said:


> I´ll broke it up a little bit.
> 
> Assuming you have 3% of Ir in your rocks. That is great. Now you need to sell it to the refinery. Otherwise you cannot liquidate it for money. They will demant analysis, or propose their own analysis for quite a fee  *without proper fire assay, there will be no purchase anyway.*
> 
> ...


Thanks for the negative scepticism buddy


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> You could try to use commas, periods and line breaks.
> Now it is hard to read.
> 
> Even if you are right, without an assay you do not know how to process your ore.


Says you


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Says you


One more mate, and your out.
So if that is your wish you are very close to fulfilling that dream.


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

orvi said:


> It is very rare to find practically any PGMs in ordinary iron ores. Most of the PGMs are found in Ni-Co deposits, where they occupy places in the crystal lattice of sulfides.
> 
> Geology isn´t favourable in way of deposition of PGMs into the iron ores. And that said, look for the minerals which are associated with PGM metals. Very rarely they are something other than sulfides, tellurides or arsenides, or associated with bismuth, selenium etc. Also, formation of these deposits is vastly different in comparison with typical iron ore deposits. In terms of they physical formation, precipitation from hydrotherms, zonation etc... Very complicated stuff. All in all, I do not know about any deposit of PGMs, apart from placer mining, that isn´t associated with sulfides.
> 
> We believe in science, scientific analysis and actual results. So I regularly work in my job as researcher according to the actual facts. New ideas are very welcome, you can get on them, proceed further and IF YOU GAIN EVIDENCE that it actually is something, then you proceed further. Rather than wasting your career on something that actually isn´t real.


Don't concern yourself with my career I'll be just fine when I sell my first ounce of iridium that I process myself without your help I believe you just having a hard time wrapping your brain around the fact that I found something that's extremely rare and difficult to find doesn't change the fact that that's what I found how's that for one long sentence?


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## flashfossilized (Nov 29, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> One more mate, and your out.
> So if that is your wish you are very close to fulfilling that dream.


Don't hate on me because I found what you could search your whole life for and never find. I've been blessed get over it...


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Don't hate on me because I found what you could search your whole life for and never find. I've been blessed get over it...


Ok mate you asked for it.
We have tried to help.
I have no hate, I’m just tired of your BS.
So now I will grant you your wish.


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## Lou (Nov 29, 2022)

Geez, that was fast.

It takes a lot to exceed Nordic levels of patience exhibited by the kind Yggdrasil.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

Lou said:


> Geez, that was fast.
> 
> It takes a lot to exceed Nordic levels of patience exhibited by the kind Yggdrasil.


I became tired of the bickering and constant scolding of our members.
I can take a beating but I don’t like witnessing beating of others.


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## Lou (Nov 29, 2022)

Well, I agree with the ban.

He was living in la la iridium land.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

Lou said:


> Well, I agree with the ban.
> 
> He was living in la la iridium land.


He was just back from a forced “break” but had learned nothing.
Straight into the same MO, so I guess it’s the best for both parties.

I still get a bit puzzled why people do like this. It’s almost like it is compulsive.

Well he is out for now though.

Lets get back to what we love to do, refining


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## MicheleM (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> 1. You're basing your assumptions on findings you're familiar with from wherever you are in the world. 2. What I'm working with here where I am isn't your garden variety content of iridium in the ore. So for you to come to your bias, one-sided and not to mention jealously loaded conclusions, a body has to wonder what's driving your negative aspect on anything I'm doing and what if any good is your alleged professional opinion?


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## orvi (Nov 29, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Don't concern yourself with my career I'll be just fine when I sell my first ounce of iridium that I process myself without your help I believe you just having a hard time wrapping your brain around the fact that I found something that's extremely rare and difficult to find doesn't change the fact that that's what I found how's that for one long sentence?


We will wait for the picture. I have all the time in the world


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

MicheleM said:


>



flashfozzilized are not here anymore, so he will not be able to respond.


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

orvi said:


> We will wait for the picture. I have all the time in the world


He is banned so no picture will come.


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## orvi (Nov 29, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> He is banned so no picture will come.


It is easy to make new profile. But the pattern is, nobody will ever see that iridium, or rhodium, or whateveridium they suggest they found.
Time to assay actual gold ore I have


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## kreinhardt (Nov 29, 2022)

I believe the correct term in English is unobtanium.


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## galenrog (Nov 29, 2022)

MicheleM said:


>



Oddball may have been a bit odd, but unlike flashfossilized, actually knew what he was doing.

Time for more coffee


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 29, 2022)

Ok folks. He is not here anymore, and as such can not defend himself.
So please refrain from commenting him.
Edit to add.
The topic and thread is open for comment, of course, but not his person.


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## VK3NHL (Nov 30, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> Don't hate on me because I found what you could search your whole life for and never find. I've been blessed get over it...


Oh Look ‘Iridium Man’ is back.
…..Err wait, No he’s not.


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## Rhpos (Dec 1, 2022)

flashfossilized said:


> My iridium source averages 3 to 8% iridium in the ore I'm mining. 90% of the ores iron, the rest is gold silver and copper all below 1%. My question is this, is there anyone out there mining iridium coming up with similar percentages? And is 3 to 8% a sensible percentage to try to process and refine?


Hey there, did it indicate the presence of any titanium ? I've got a rock that analyzes 3% Ir too, but it is also 15% Titanium and about 66% Fe and a little silica, mg. Its either a stony iron meteorite (sm. amt. of olivine crystals present), or a relic from the Sudbury structure event. I found it amongst a field of glacial till in northern Ohio. A good book for Ir chem. is Refining and Recovery of PM's by Ammen. Ya need to pulverize that thing and give it the usual treatment. A good test is to precipitate out , I think it was a complex anion of Ir having a plurality of nitrous groups as ligands. 

There was a nobel prize winning professor out at UC, who came up with a theory about the dispersion of Ir. We normally don't find it concentrated much above 0.5% or so, typically, .... IF I recall correctly


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## Lou (Dec 1, 2022)

A good book for Ir chemistry is by Cotton and Wilkinson.


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 1, 2022)

Lou said:


> A good book for Ir chemistry is by Cotton and Wilkinson.


Is that the “Advanced inorganic chemistry”?


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## Lou (Dec 1, 2022)

yes


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 1, 2022)

Lou said:


> yes


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