# Gold powder cleaning question.



## skyline27 (Jan 16, 2008)

I melted some gold powder last weekend. It was from foils stripped in AP, washed in 3 soaks of HCl, dissolved in HCl-Clorox, dropped with SMB, 2 rinses hot HCl and 3 rinses hot water. I don't think it was as clean as it should be because it made the flux purple when the powder was added to the melting dish.

Should I have included a rinse to remove silver? Is that a potential contaminant in fingers?

When I'm washing the powder in alternating hot HCl and hot water, should I break up the big clumps of powder to let the water/acid penetrate?

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm sure I can improve my methods for next time, I'm just not sure how. Melting the gold is my favorite part of the whole process!


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## jimdoc (Jan 16, 2008)

Purple is OK, it is gold.
Jim


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## Noxx (Jan 16, 2008)

Exactly,
Purple colour is colloidal gold. 

Don't worry my friend, I'm pretty sure you have a quite pure gold in there ! :lol:


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## Lino1406 (Jan 18, 2008)

If you have seen white suspension in there?


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## skyline27 (Jan 18, 2008)

"If you have seen white suspension in there?"

I don't understand the question.


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## Lino1406 (Jan 19, 2008)

According to your procedure, silver, if any, 
would appear as white suspension (or precipitate)
so you'll know if "silver rinse" is needed


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## skyline27 (Jan 19, 2008)

No. There was nothing silver or white. Just pale brown/red mud. 

If there is silver, at what point will it become visible? I'm planning on processing some Pentium Pros and expect silver.


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## Lino1406 (Jan 19, 2008)

In 1st stage


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