# nitric acid and micro chips



## mugwarh (Sep 22, 2014)

hi all ill start by saying i have done 2 batches of gold so far my first was ram fingers and pins, the 2nd one was some old jewerly both worked and i got about 2-3g gold button.... i can't do a incinerator to burn of the organics in micro chips, so i did a small scale test on 3 micro chips... i put them in nitric acid and heated it up to 120'C. there was a black muddy stuff and some glass left over. i then filtered the nitric acid and put the whole filter paper and the black mud and glass and all into a AR solution but insted of adding nitric acid i just used what was left in the filter paper.... i didnt do the ice bath cos it was just a test, so i dont care about the silver that was in it... i used SMB to drop the gold and i got a bit of gold ore from just 3 microchip... i am now in the process of doing about 50-100 micro chips i have done the nitric acid bath and AR i have just finished the ice bath and the silver has settled. however the solution that is left is closer to green then just pure yellow (like cooking oil)... i havent seen my end solution this color??? is this normal???
thanks for reading


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## FrugalRefiner (Sep 22, 2014)

It's probably base metal contamination from iron / copper / nickel.

Dave


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## mugwarh (Sep 23, 2014)

ok cool thanks dave... i assume this will stay in the solution when i use SMD to drop the gold???


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## Barren Realms 007 (Sep 23, 2014)

mugwarh said:


> ok cool thanks dave... i assume this will stay in the solution when i use SMD to drop the gold???



Not if you use an excess of SMB.


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## solar_plasma (Sep 23, 2014)

Yes, most of it, if you only use as much smb as you need. Some co-precipitated traces will be eliminated by the Harold washes.

edit: oh, I didn't see, it has already been answered.


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## solar_plasma (Sep 23, 2014)

Not important in this case, but quite interesting: excess SO2 can even be reduced by SnCl2 to H2S (Wiberg - Inorganic Chemistry), which would precipitate various sulfides. I will try to find the page later and correct,if I remember incorrectly.


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## mugwarh (Sep 23, 2014)

thanks solar_plasma  i used only about 20g of SMB in 800ml of gold solution (it was 320ml of AR then topped up to 800ml after ice bath and washing filter paper) the gold dropped out but still looks green-yellow i have no way to test if there is still gold in the solution because its so dam expensive... i normally keep adding SMB until the solution turns clear or changes brown... because its green-yellow color with trace metals in it should i filter the gold ore out that has dropped then keep adding SMB to see if any remains??? 
thanks for reading 
p.s i know its not the right way to do it


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## Harold_V (Sep 23, 2014)

mugwarh said:


> thanks solar_plasma  i used only about 20g of SMB in 800ml of gold solution (it was 320ml of AR then topped up to 800ml after ice bath and washing filter paper) the gold dropped out but still looks green-yellow i have no way to test if there is still gold in the solution because its so dam expensive... i normally keep adding SMB until the solution turns clear or changes brown... because its green-yellow color with trace metals in it should i filter the gold ore out that has dropped then keep adding SMB to see if any remains???
> thanks for reading
> p.s i know its not the right way to do it


If you know it as not being the right way, then you shouldn't suggest it as an option. I also take issue with your comment that testing is "so dam expensive". It's not expensive, not when you consider that you can be losing value far in excess of the value of a small amount of tin, so you can create the proper testing solution. 

I get the distinct impression that you feel it's cheaper to drive without your glasses, when you have terrible vision, risking collisions with other vehicles, when it would cost you a couple hundred dollars to have glasses, allowing you to drive safely. If that's your attitude, you really need to find a different hobby, as your approach is not in your best interest, or that of those around you. 

You really need to read enough so you can improve your vocabulary, as you are using words that make no sense. You make reference to gold ore, but you're not working with ore, nor are you creating ore. Ore is the natural occurring substance from which gold is extracted. 

One does NOT keep precipitating to ensure that all gold is down. One *tests*, which you would understand if you'd read, as you have been instructed when you joined this forum. Read Hoke's book, and read it again and again, until you understand what it teaches. When you understand, you won't have these questions. 

Please understand that I'm not trying to be rude. What I am trying to do is have you understand that until you have a basic knowledge of what you're trying to do, there will be no end to the questions you'll have, and you are at risk of losing values, as well as harming yourself, those around you, and the environment.  

Do it right, or don't do it. Otherwise, you will not get support here, as that is akin to promoting misinformation, which is not welcome on this board.

Harold


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## g_axelsson (Sep 23, 2014)

mugwarh said:


> i have no way to test if there is still gold in the solution because its so dam expensive...


Buy a beat up pewter bowl in a thrift store for a dollar and you can make stannous chloride for the rest of your life.

Göran


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## Anonymous (Sep 23, 2014)

As Goran said- and another option is tin solder and HCl - as cheap as chips.


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## mugwarh (Sep 23, 2014)

hi Harold_V thanks for reading my thread i have spent alot of time reading this site and i have read through hoke's book and just to let u know this will be the my last post EVER.. to buy the stannous chloride test here it cost about $200AUD and i dont have that money right now.
i am not a chemist nor to i pretend to be, i was only looking into this as a hobbie as i can get a lot of fingers and pins for free... yes it is VERY dangerous playing with acids when u dont know what ur doing.. i understand that there is a method to doing anything and trying to improve or change steps on something that has had many professional before me perfect it is foolish(re invent the wheel as you have said a few time on here) i was only asking if it was possible to do it i wasnt skipping steps or reinventing the wheel... as for the ore comment i know its not true ore but ffs its as close as u get to it! ore is dirt, when gold drops out of ar it look like dirt... i havent seen any where anyone who has used nitric acid instead of incinerating and it worked on a small scale... information was hard to find.... and on a side note as good as ur forum is.. there is so much scattered information going back as far as 2007 (the oldest post i have read, theres probably older) its no wounder u get so many stupid questions... ive been reading for about 2-3months aswell as reading hokes guide... its a sham u are a bit rude to people, i have read a few time where u have slammed people for asking questions, (as stupid as they where).... u might be a guru at gold refining and of sorts.. but ur people skills suck xxx... and i dont care much for being drilled publicly.... my wife of 10 years died 6months ago and left me with 2 kids to raise doing this stuff takes my mind off of things and instead of a simple "no that wont work try this" u thought it would be better to be degrading... and yes i seen the reply for the thrift shop thanks for having a HELPFUL response... anyway im gone for good ban me for life ill find my info somewhere else......


Uhhh-ohhh---that's breaking one of our rules. 
Attitude displayed here is a first class ticket to being banned, to say nothing of the use of text lingo. There is no room on this board for those who can not, nor will not, be told. We all wish this gentleman luck in finding useful information beyond this forum. Lots of luck, in fact, as it will be sorely needed. 

Harold


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## solar_plasma (Sep 23, 2014)

And I always believed that I was huffy... :shock: 

mugwarh, proudness is a bad counselor...especially, when you're learning.


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## g_axelsson (Sep 23, 2014)

Ignorance is no problem, stupid can also be worked around, but this attitude we don't want on the forum. We have strict rules because we deal with dangerous stuff and any guest here have to comply do be welcome.

Good bye mugwarh!

Göran


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## solar_plasma (Sep 23, 2014)

I wonder, if it's the same guy each time, maybe a kind of internet troll. It is as if he just waited for Harold to intervene.


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## rewalston (Sep 23, 2014)

I normally don't post on stupidity, but I can't help myself this time. He stated that stannous solution is 200 $AUD, but yet if he's been reading the forum as he said he was doing, he would have seen the mention of using solder and HCl as a "work around". And to say that Harold was "slamming" him, well that's just stupid. Harold educates those that want to learn. I've been on this forum almost since it started and am constantly reading. I, myself, have put up my chemicals for the time being, because life circumstances are preventing me from getting more materials. And what I did process is waiting in a stock pot until I can re-do my own screw-up. The amount I had was just not worth trying to go after, so I'm letting it set. I'm glad that Harold, as well as many others, make the comments that they do. One of my pet peeves is people who come on here and feel that they are entitled to some sort of hand out or feel that they are better because they are less informed or have little money to put into doing it correctly. Is as if someone says "I only have a few dollars, but I KNOW that I have a couple hundred dollars worth of gold in this 5 cent fork...so I'm just going to melt it and make a fortune". I don't understand....

Rusty


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## butcher (Sep 23, 2014)

Harold was giving good advice, if you are driving the wrong way on a freeway, and he yells it, to get your attention why get upset, his yelling is intended to help.

You join a useful forum to learn a hard skill to learn, the forum has rules and expectations, if you wish to be a part of the forum you will need to follow these rules, and expectations (which actually will help not only the forum, but you also).

If you cannot, or will not follow the rules, then either you do not wish to, or you will be making yourself unwelcome.

Pride, I cannot think of much of anything that will make a man fall as it will, or drag him down to the mud, or keep him slivering in the muck to prideful to improve himself or pull himself out, or to even see where he is at.

mugwarh,
If you can reread what Harold has said, without judgment, and see his intention behind his response (which is to help you), and you can overcome your prideful (and ignorant gut response), you may find that Harold was being a true friend towards you, giving the advice you need to help you do better, and that was his intention to help you.

If your intention is to have your own prideful way, not wishing to improve yourself or your skills, that is also your choice, just not here on this forum...

You should be glad someone yelled "STOP or you will just walk off the cliff blindfolded".
And was also trying to help not only you, but the forum you joined to learn from.

But if you would rather act the prideful fool, well I guess that's your choice.
You will not find better advise anywhere else, you may hear more of what you wish to hear, but it will not be nowhere as helpful.


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