# Cool Pictures



## samuel-a (Sep 27, 2011)

We all know that sometimes the process can be just as beautiful as the final product.

(Inquartation leach)







(Gold powder boiled in HCl)
http://www.goldnscrap.com/images/stories/untitled.PNG


*Let's see yours, bring it on...*


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## epicnamefail (Oct 2, 2011)

that is an AWESOME pic, cant wait to try refining myself , of course ill wait til i know i wont hurt myself or others >.< but the wait is killing me......well not as bad as the fumes would


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## philddreamer (Oct 2, 2011)

Beautiful, Samuel, beautiful!!! 8)


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## Anonymous (Oct 2, 2011)

samuel-a said:


> (Inquartation leach)


Sam,you did not cornflake it,or roll it?


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## samuel-a (Oct 2, 2011)

mic said:


> samuel-a said:
> 
> 
> > (Inquartation leach)
> ...



I poured the metal into water tank (about 20" deep) from about 5-6" height.

Everything turned into these nice round and hollow beads.
Only the very little ones are solid.


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## lazersteve (Oct 2, 2011)

Looks quite similar to how mine turns out:






Here's how it looks before acid treatment:








Steve


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## Anonymous (Oct 3, 2011)

samuel-a said:


> Everything turned into these nice round and hollow beads.


Oh sorry,the picture is a little deceiving when looking from the bottom.
Steve,those are gorgeous before and afters.


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## samuel-a (Oct 6, 2011)

Auric (III) Oxide - Au2O3


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## samuel-a (Oct 19, 2011)

*Silver crystals, extreme close up:*


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## Geo (Oct 19, 2011)

beautiful.looks like ice crystals.


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## philddreamer (Oct 19, 2011)

Beauties, Samuel, Beauties!!! 8)


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## samuel-a (Oct 20, 2011)

It took me almost half an hour to finally get this quality from my pocket camera 8) 
zoom, focus, lighting. but man... it's worth it.

Just for size referance, each picture represent about 0.5 sq. cm (0.0775 sq. in).


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## Anonymous (Oct 20, 2011)

samuel-a said:


> It took me almost half an hour to finally get this quality from my pocket camera
> zoom, focus, lighting


I use a ZD710 and I have several tripods.It looks like an SLR and you can buy them used on ebay for under $100.I usually find tripods for about $5-$10 at garage sales and flea markets. You can also buy add-on macro lenses,and telephoto lenses pretty cheap.The pictures are incredible.I just took this one real quick to show you,and this was on auto,without a tripod.You can click on the picture and then click again to zoom in.The pics are unbelievable for the price.


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## philddreamer (Oct 20, 2011)

Good quality photo Mic, & the gold buttons, too! 8)


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## samuel-a (Oct 26, 2011)

silver cell :mrgreen:

(click for larger pic)


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## philddreamer (Oct 26, 2011)

Samuel you're cheating!!! :shock: 

Are you using a S.S. bowl as a cathode!? Very ingenious, Samuel!!! 8)


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## samuel-a (Oct 26, 2011)

philddreamer said:


> Samuel you're cheating!!! :shock:
> 
> Are you using a S.S. bowl as a cathode!? Very ingenious, Samuel!!! 8)



hehe thanks... 
yes, the bowl is the cathode. Iv'e been wanting to do this ever since i saw one of *Harold's* posts on the subject more then a year ego.

The deposition on the walls is very ridgid, on the bottom i got some dendrites since i didn't circulate the electrolyte.
Current density is approx 0.8 amp/sq. in. , at 2.12V , 50-52 grams metals per liter.


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## philddreamer (Oct 26, 2011)

How easy, or, how hard is it to "scrape" the silver of the bowl?
The 50-52g/litre is the amount of ag for the electrolite?

Thanks!


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## samuel-a (Oct 26, 2011)

philddreamer said:


> How easy, or, how hard is it to "scrape" the silver of the bowl?



It is very easy to scrap. On the other hand, it will not budge upon gentle movements/replacement of liquids.
Though, i'm planing to let it build and thicken as much as possible.



philddreamer said:


> The 50-52g/litre is the amount of ag for the electrolite?



yes sir.


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## philddreamer (Oct 26, 2011)

Gracias Samuel!


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## Smack (Oct 26, 2011)

Sam, where do the impurities go? Do they stay in the bag?


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## philddreamer (Oct 26, 2011)

Hi Smack!
If I may, the impurities that are digested by nitric in the cell, like copper, go into the solution. That's why the solution will start changing color. 
The ones that don't digest in nitric, like gold & PGM's, stay in the bag, as long as the bag cloth its tight enough.
These slimes you collect, rinse, incinerate & process in AR.
I did that a couple of weeks ago & recovered a bit over a gram of gold, & the solution tested + for PGM's & went to the stock pot; there's still a bit more slime that I need to process. 

Take care!

Phil


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## Acid_Bath76 (Oct 26, 2011)

awesome pictures! I can't wait to post more myself. Soon.


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## samuel-a (Oct 29, 2011)

philddreamer said:


> How easy, or, how hard is it to "scrape" the silver of the bowl?
> Thanks!



Phil, since you asked.
I took one more picture for you of the dried powder.

The deposition was quite ridgid, on the walls and bottom. This fact allowed a very thorough washing with only three minimal water washes... the 3rd one came out crystal clear.
As you probably know, the washing of powder is the Achilles' heel of the process. 
When the crystals dried (in the same bowl, btw), there was no tell-tale signs of basemetals salts at all.




The cell is not efficiant in terms of deposition rate (for now).


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## philddreamer (Oct 29, 2011)

Thanks for the pic & information Samuel!

So if I understand correctly, you rinsed 3 times BEFORE the scrapping, or peeling off the crystals. Then applied some heat to dry?

Yes, for higher deposition more anode exposed surface area is required.

Let us know, if you melt it, how the bar came out.

Take care!

Phil


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## samuel-a (Oct 29, 2011)

philddreamer said:


> So if I understand correctly, you rinsed 3 times BEFORE the scrapping, or peeling off the crystals. Then applied some heat to dry?



Exactly.



philddreamer said:


> Let us know, if you melt it, how the bar came out.



Sure.
(That remainds me, need new graphite crucibles. 8) )


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## samuel-a (Nov 1, 2011)

philddreamer said:


> Let us know, if you melt it, how the bar came out.



I ended up torch melting it...
Did i mentioned how much i hate melting Ag (and Pd) with a torch...?

Turned out really bad... 
Will be melted and poured again from a graphite crubicle with the next batch...


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## philddreamer (Nov 6, 2011)

> I ended up torch melting it...
> Did i mentioned how much i hate melting Ag (and Pd) with a torch...?



On my next silver melt, I'll try Peter's method.



> Will be melted and poured again from a graphite crubicle with the next batch...



I melted once in a graphite crucible & did not like it at all. I prefer the fused silica; I buy the Grobet USA's 100 dwt dishes.


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## samuel-a (Nov 6, 2011)

Hopfuly, soon i'll have a video up on pouring a silver bar...



philddreamer said:


> I melted once in a graphite crucible & did not like it at all. I prefer the fused silica; I buy the Grobet USA's 100 dwt dishes.



I should have mentioned, that, by graphite crucible, i meant one the fit my furnace...
In my mind, the heat source is more of the issue then the crucible material... the graphite is just a bonus in the case of fine silver / base metals for providing a CO/CO2 environment.

In any case, a torch melt with graphite is not the wisest idea. IMHO.


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## Smack (Nov 7, 2011)

I use a ceramic bonded clay graphite crucible to melt in. I think that graphite should only be used for the mold, they don't take high heat well at all.


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## samuel-a (Dec 15, 2011)

Stripped intel ceramic:




Close up on the removed pins... thick plating, so it seems.


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## niteliteone (Dec 15, 2011)

samuel-a said:


> Stripped intel ceramic:
> 
> View attachment 1
> 
> ...



Samual,

Was that just HCl to remove the solder?

Tom C


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## samuel-a (Dec 16, 2011)

Actually, i used dilute nitric, but HCl will work just as well.


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## niteliteone (Dec 16, 2011)

Thanks Samual

i've got 15 ceramic processors and was thinking of ways to process them. This looks like an easy way to deal with solder removal.

Tom C


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## samuel-a (Dec 16, 2011)

Warm dilute Nitric is preferred if you care to take the extra step.

The solder on the ceramic cpu's is usually of high silver content, so you could recover a gram or two from your 15 cpu's.
As for gold plated metalic lids, it is best to remove with heat. the solder most likely holds gold in it too.

Soon, in a week or two, i'll have a complete video + article of the process. Though, the silver issue is not addressed in the process due to the low content and value.


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## philddreamer (Dec 16, 2011)

Samuel, thanks for explaining WHY you prefer nitric. 

Phil


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## Geo (Dec 16, 2011)

sam, 

i very much look forward to seeing it for your videos are always very instructional and full of information. ill keep both eyes open for it. :shock: :lol:


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## niteliteone (Dec 16, 2011)

Samual,
Thank you for the explanation. 
I didn't even think about the silver. Now I know something new. I try to learn something new everyday. Now I can slack off and enjoy the rest of the evening. :twisted: 

Thanks again
Tom C.


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## samuel-a (Feb 19, 2012)

Crystallization of palladosammine Chloride.
(the black powder on the bottom is already reduced Pd), bad picture quality, but nonetheless, a magnificent phenomena...


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