# Removing gold from glass?



## GoldHappy (Oct 28, 2012)

We had a few gold pins we'd that we'd reduced to the gold foil and soaked with SSN (saturated salt & nitric). We wanted to be sure our ORP was up high enough to fully take on gold, and that butyl and oxalic would gather and percipitate (before doing a run on our ore). It did, and we gathered the gold sponge on a filter to refine.

Here's the problem. The reduced gold in the butyl left reside on the inside of the beaker and the separatory funnel. Does anyone know how to get that to release from the glass short of putting SSN in the container? We need to use the funnel again later today and don't want to lose the gold or contaminate our next batch.


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## Lino1406 (Oct 28, 2012)

If I got you well, a gentle rub with
paintbrush, water or acetone


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## GoldHappy (Oct 29, 2012)

Thank you for taking the time to reply. The problem is that we can't rub the inside of the funnel as the opening/neck is small. Hot water dislodged part of it but not all. We hoping to find something that would simply dislodge it but not dissolve or destroy, if possible.


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## butcher (Oct 29, 2012)

I would just put the gold back into solution, to clean the glass ware, your not losing the gold, it can be reduced.


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## Alentia (Nov 24, 2012)

Ever seen how people clean bongs with salt?

Fill the funnel with few spoons of coarse grain salt and bit of rubbing alcohol and shake well. Salt will clean the inside glass wall. Dissolve salt in water and filter the solution.

You can do the same using your wet gold powder.


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## NobleMetalWorks (Nov 24, 2012)

It sounds like you are saying you have gold stuck to the side of your beaker. 

You can use Aqua Regia, or you can also use HCl/Bleach. Both should dissolve it. AR is often used to clean lab glass.

Scott


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