# Platinum Refining tutorial (+melting)



## samuel-a (Dec 17, 2011)

Hi all

Just uploaded two new videos about platinum refining using the ammonium chloride route.

I wish i could have filmed the metling better... I'll try next time with some dark shades lance.


Part - 1

Part - 2


In few weeks i'll add a fully detailed article and attache it to the videos.

In the mean while, i would love to hear your comments.


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## lazersteve (Dec 17, 2011)

Sam,

Decent video. Judging from the color of your yellow salt your starting Pt was already very pure.

The Pt powder is easily dissolved at room temperature with HCl-Cl or HCl and 35% H2O2 neither of which need to be denoxxed. Heated AR is the best choice for solid Pt, melt it into a button, roll into foil, and dissolve.

You can add the ammonium chloride solution all at once, just be sure to use a slight excess of the calculated amount.

Don't let your yellow powder dry out; the dust from the yellow powder easily becomes airborne and is bad for your lungs and skin.

I'll check out part two later tonight.

Steve


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## samuel-a (Dec 17, 2011)

Hi Steve

Thanks.

Yes, the Pt was quite pure to begin with, only slightly contaminated with Pd (alloyed) and iron from when it was removed from the spent crucibles.

Since the beads were solid, but tiny, i decided to go AR on it... it is demonstrating well, just how hard it is to dissolve solid Pt...


Tomorrow, i'm going off grid for about a week or so... I'll have much more info in the written article that will be attached in few weeks, it will include all that you mentioned and describe the alternatives to almost each step.
It's just not possible to include so much info in to these videos, the videos is made to be the showcase for the written tutorial.

Thanks again for the safety note!
(i'm drying all the times to take weight masurmants and estimate if/how much loss had occured while reducing. I always use gloves and a dust mask)


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## 4metals (Dec 17, 2011)

Nice video's Sam, one of the nice things about platinum beads is that after you melt it and remove it from the melting dish, you can flip it over and fire polish the bottom by playing the torch until it just begins to melt and you will end up with a button smooth on both sides.


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## nickvc (Dec 18, 2011)

samuel-a said:


> Since the beads were solid, but tiny, i decided to go AR on it... it is demonstrating well, just how hard it is to dissolve solid Pt...
> 
> Yep been there seen it done it and cussed it...it's not unusual to find solid platinum heads from rings after doing a stone removal job nearly fully intact just sitting in your solution almost tittering at you......


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