# what is the best way of processing filter papers



## micronationcreation (Mar 22, 2011)

hi, just wondering what the best way to process old filter paper, after incineration how do i separate ash from any metals that may be prescent? many thanks


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## glondor (Mar 22, 2011)

I am guessing a good wash with a bit of hcl, filter and .....


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## Oz (Mar 23, 2011)

If you have thoroughly incinerated to metallics and ash, simple water will take the ash into solution as a wash leaving you with metallics and any carbon you may have failed to completely incinerate.


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## Harold_V (Mar 23, 2011)

micronationcreation said:


> hi, just wondering what the best way to process old filter paper, after incineration how do i separate ash from any metals that may be prescent? many thanks


The same way you remove values from other substances. You dissolve them with AR (or the solvent of your choosing), then filter the liquid from the solids. 

Incinerate the papers until there is no carbon, then digest the ash in HCl. That insures the resulting gold chloride solution will filter well. 

Ultimately, you end up with solids of questionable value and content. A furnace does wonders in recovering traces, assuming you use the proper flux and have a collector present. Excess silver chloride, along with the proper flux, does a remarkable job of collecting. 

Harold


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## Oz (Mar 23, 2011)

Follow Harold’s advice. I answered your question too literally as to removing your ash from your metals. The HCl is important because it will remove tin and other metals that will prove to be a problem when you go to recover your values. This is especially important if you plan to use nitric before AR as tin is problematic to say the least in nitric.


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## micronationcreation (Mar 23, 2011)

hi, thanks for the advice, much appreciated. :lol:


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## joem (Apr 2, 2011)

Harold_V said:


> micronationcreation said:
> 
> 
> > hi, just wondering what the best way to process old filter paper, after incineration how do i separate ash from any metals that may be prescent? many thanks
> ...



I have quite a few filter papers with a grey tint to them saved so on the this topic, what is the incineration done in and how. Is there a melting dish big enough for this with a torch or do you use another type of "pot" to burn it all?


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## butcher (Apr 2, 2011)

stainless steel pot.
I use a corning skillet, propane stove and a torch, incineration is not melting, incinerate powder to glow red, plenty of oxygen from air or torch will help to oxidize metals, Note start with low heat to drive off water, nitrates and then chlorides then sulfates before raising temp to red hot, after powders dried heat will usually form a fusion, thick syrup further heating will harden and dry again, as gases of these chemicals escape, do not breath these, crushing this cake back to powder, then raise temperature to glowing red hot, heating too hot too fast at first with chlorides can evaporate gold (yellow fumes condensing on colder object is an indication of this problem).


It is a good time to read Harold’s post on this subject, it does wonders for your success in refining.


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## joem (Apr 3, 2011)

butcher said:


> stainless steel pot.
> I use a corning skillet, propane stove and a torch, incineration is not melting, incinerate powder to glow red, plenty of oxygen from air or torch will help to oxidize metals, Note start with low heat to drive off water, nitrates and then chlorides then sulfates before raising temp to red hot, after powders dried heat will usually form a fusion, thick syrup further heating will harden and dry again, as gases of these chemicals escape, do not breath these, crushing this cake back to powder, then raise temperature to glowing red hot, heating too hot too fast at first with chlorides can evaporate gold (yellow fumes condensing on colder object is an indication of this problem).
> 
> 
> It is a good time to read Harold’s post on this subject, it does wonders for your success in refining.




Thanks Butcher
I knew Harold posted it somewhere and did a general search using the word incinerate but too many results came up. I searched Harold's posts specifically using the word paper and found it



> After you have eliminated the base metals, get everything in a filter and dried, then incinerate the filter paper along with its contents, heating in a small stainless steel frying pan.



I'll check the thrift store for a good pot or pan, I've seen them there for a few dollars.


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## wrecker45 (Apr 3, 2011)

hey joe take a magnet. :mrgreen:


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## joem (Apr 3, 2011)

wrecker45 said:


> hey joe take a magnet. :mrgreen:



Do I want a magnetic pan or non-magnetic?
:lol: please don't say use the search button :lol: :lol:


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## glondor (Apr 3, 2011)

A good stainless pan will have very little magnetic attraction. I think most pots and pans will have a makers mark on the bottom saying stainless. I think if it says made in Canada or USA it will be better than made in China. I just bought a stainless bowl made in China and it has rusted completely in a month. I did get it for incineration. I had a stainless steel camp coffee pot made in China and my coffee ate thru it the second time we used it. I would try to get old domestic pans over imported.


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## qst42know (Apr 3, 2011)

I find the heavy gauge stainless pans getting harder to come by. Lots of thin pans and those with clad bottoms are showing up. The thin ones pop when heated and can launch some of your material and the clad skillets drip aluminum when they get to a good heat. Don't pass on a good heavy one piece pan when you find them.


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## goldsilverpro (Apr 3, 2011)

I'm pretty sure that the older Corning "Spice of Life", "Cornflower", and "Wildflower" lines are all made of Pyroceram and will take the heat of incineration. I don't know about other patterns. Corning "Visions" will take the heat, also. I don't know about other patterns.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=corning+5+quart&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3286


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## Claudie (Sep 19, 2011)

Does anyone care to post a video of this?


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## Claudie (Jul 12, 2014)

I found this video showing one way of doing it: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlozdhFuExk


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## necromancer (Jul 13, 2014)

i cut up my filters into small pieces, put them in a small beaker with nitric acid and boil them.
the filter papers will fall apart into pulp or disintegrate, i let cool and settle ad hcl / muriatic acid to make AR then filter

i use normal coffee filters.

for filtering very small amounts i have 2 plastic funnels with the bottoms cut off, so its just the triangle top parts
i fold a filter paper and place it in one funnel then sandwich the filter paper between the 2 funnels
spray down with water, it gets filtered through the filter at about the size of a dime.

pulp is saved for a later day

works well for me

i tried burning it, crushing the ash and adding it to AR, its very messy and a easy way to lose values in the smoke


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