# Help needed - separating gold from paper



## sfa34 (Mar 28, 2011)

I would love to know if there is a method to separate paper from gold. 

I filtered out my solution of nitric acid after dissolving the base metal from plated pins, this then left all the gold flakes in the filter paper. when I lifter the filter paper out of the funnel the filter paper disintegrated. Now I have a paper mush with gold flakes, any help would be appreciated.


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## shyknee (Mar 28, 2011)

yes one highly approved method is to read hoke's book and visit Lazersteve's web site. For now put it in a jar and label it and store until you have a better understanding of what is going on and what you need to do.


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## glondor (Mar 28, 2011)

A bit of incineration comes to mind. Do a search on incineration. Harold-v has many good posts about it. Please read first as I would not want to steer you wrong. Maybe someone else will chime in.


Edit for clarity


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## Barren Realms 007 (Mar 28, 2011)

Let your solution settle and then siphon off the solution and then process the settlement. You filter should catch the paper on your last filtering. Then wash your filter well with water. Precipitate your gold out.


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## sfa34 (Mar 28, 2011)

If I re filter it will just leave the paper mush and gold again. It looks like paper mache with gold in it.


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## goldsilverpro (Mar 28, 2011)

I recently incinerated a fairly well packed bucket of filter papers, then used AR, and ended up with 5.6 oz of gold. It adds up.


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## Anonymous (Mar 28, 2011)

I am glad you are here on the forum sfa34.We welcome all members(as long as your name is not megan...j/k)
Recently I was involved in a situation that I want to share with you.You will understand why I am sharing it with you as you read.
I had another member bring to my attention that I repeatedly tell new members to "stop" where they are,and do more research.He did it in a very inappropriate way,and the end result was not pretty.
I was well within my rights to tell him what I did,and I was polite about it.I said it out of concern,not only for him,but for other members,and this forum(I explained why in the thread).
New members,like yourself,have a natural tendancy to be so inundated with the desire to get gold,that they don't see (or read)what they need to be seeing,or reading.The first reply you recieved,which was the most important thing,was from shyknee telling you to stop!To put a lid on what you have there and do a little more research about what you are getting into.
Unfortunately,you overlooked that reply,and continued with your quest.
You need to understand that the only reason I am being so in depth here,is because of the gentleman that replied just above me,GoldSilverPro.He is one of the smartest,and most experienced people on this forum,and deserves my utmost respect.So considering he did not "come down" on you,I will not either.
However,there are more reasons than you are aware of,for why you need to stop right where you are,and research more.If you need resources to read,then look under different catagories,and use the search window.We currently have right at 16,000 members on this forum,and a lot of them have been here for years,contributing information,so that others,that are less experienced,can come and discover what they have shared........for free.
Everything you need to know about what you are trying to do,is found within the forum...I promise.


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## sfa34 (Mar 28, 2011)

I have read a lot on the subject, its just when i lifted the filter paper out it broke up in my hands. 
Should of let it dry first.
One thing that is awkward is all the different process, i read the post on methods then, people post using different chemicals. Some say use copper to drop gold then smb, dont use urea, use urea, ect.

My method is dissolve base metals (plated pins) in 70% nitric, then dilute solution with water, then filter.
Then wash in water, hcl, then water again. I then use ar - nitric and hcl, the i will drop gold with smb. Test left over solution with stannous for any gold.
Can you tell me if this is correct please.
ap 32% hcl/3% peroxide takes to long so dose hcl.


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## Anonymous (Mar 28, 2011)

sfa34 said:


> I have read a lot on the subject,


You have already proven that this statement is not true.
It is NOT recommended that you dissolve pins in nitric.And it is NOT recommended that you use 70% nitric for any dissolution of scrap,unless it has been diluted 1-1 with water,or is being used in AR.


sfa34 said:


> One thing that is awkward is all the different process, i read the post on methods then, people post using different chemicals. Some say use copper to drop gold then smb, dont use urea, use urea, ect.


I had written a very long reply to this,however a good friend once told me,if I make a reply out of frustration,then delete it when I am done and start again.
So I am starting again.You have a lot to learn.You are in NO position to be trying to process anything.I highly suggest you take shyknees advice and stop right there,place that solution in a labeled container and put it somewhere else.


sfa34 said:


> ap 32% hcl/3% peroxide takes to long so dose hcl


Most of these process take a long time,and a lot of patience.It has been preached on this forum for years,that you do not want to get involved in this if you are looking to get rich quick,or get rich period.
Sometimes it happens where you make a good profit,sometimes you make a great profit,sometimes though........you lose your shirt!Make the wrong move,and you could lose your life!
We have some members here that have buckets of solutions that sit for weeks at a time,before they proceed.
Take my advice.Pick a procedure based on the material you have(pins).Take a few days and really honestly read,anything you can find on the subject.
If you do this,you will find that *nowhere* in the "recommended" process,do you use nitric on plated pins.


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## seawolf (Mar 28, 2011)

If you are working with the round pins from the boards read more about the stripper cell. If you are working with the pins from memory fingers read more on HCL/peroxide method. If you are working with the pins on CPUs read more on the 50% nitric method. Some posts also show doing the finger pins in nitric. Dilute the 70% nitric with an equal amount of distilled water. Down load Hoke and read several times, make notes and follow a clear plan. Then if you run into a problem all the help and knowledge of the forum will help you. Work safe first and foremost; no amount of gold is worth your health or life.
Mark


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## dtectr (Mar 28, 2011)

hey mic!
According to his profile - he read for 16 days! :shock: some marriages don't last that long! :lol: 

And thats the point, sfa34 - We are so used to instant everything in our culture, we think we can do this stuff with a wink & a prayer. Honestly, my friend - You are no where near ready to be screwing with nitric. As everyone here is getting sick of me saying, I've been treating a very nasty nitric burn on the inside of my left wrist - "just 2 drops" originally, but nitric cooks pretty much all it touches, even before you feeling it doing so. Even when you wipe it off. It must have splashed & got trapped between the links in my watchband. Washed it thoroughly, kind of thought that extra skin sloughing off was unusual, but "Hey!, I'm used to acids." But not this sh**. Two weeks later, I can wear my watch again & don't need topical pain killer & bandage 24/7.

What we're trying to say has been said, pretty eloquently & clearly. And we sympathize, we really do, especially if you find your self in dire financial circumstances. But if I hadn't got the secondary infection that ensued under control, I was heading to Urgent Care. That was far more than I would have made from a batch of pins. You either.

A search for "filter papers" off of lazersteve's signature line would have answered both your current dilemna, & what got you there.

Don't be offended, please. But do listen to the voices of experience (not mine, I'm still new myself - the other guys & gals) & we'll be seeing your buttons in the "Gallery" in no time.
dtectr


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## shyknee (Mar 29, 2011)

thank you mic.
For explaining it to sfa34 .It takes a lot of effort for me to give advise or to post so I avoid it, I am not a good typer .  
sfa34 be safe, read and have fun there is a lot to learn.


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## glondor (Mar 29, 2011)

There is a lot to be said for the advise here. There are so many types of material and processes it will take a long time to learn them all. It took me 7 months to get my first button from fingers. almost 18 grams! It was still dirty despite my best efforts.

After all the learning I know I lost some gold in the process.Live and learn. 

So here I am 10 months after joining the site and reading here for literally hundreds of hours and I finally feel comfortable enough to start with poor mans Ar on some CPU's.

For sure take the advise given and start with something small and WORK WITH CARE! Many of the processes are very dangerous. From fumes, acids, toxic dusts and poisonous metal vapors. Take your time and learn.


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