# AP Gold going into solution?



## skyline27 (Sep 24, 2007)

I've been experimenting with AP. I've gotten good results with fingers and pins. The last batch I ran was with 486 cpu's and pins. The solution turned golden yellow (rather than the usual green), and their are very few gold flakes. Did the gold go into solution? If so, is there any way to recover it?


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## jimdoc (Sep 24, 2007)

Test it with stannous chloride, and if does
have gold in solution use smb to precipitate
like usual, you won't have to use urea since
there is no nitric. Jim


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## skyline27 (Sep 24, 2007)

The solution is still fizzing when I agitate the parts. Do I need to let this subside or can I precipitate now? Thanks for the response!


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## jimdoc (Sep 24, 2007)

You should probably wait until it is done
to get it all at once. You can test a few
drops with stannous chloride to see if you
do have gold in solution now. Jim


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## skyline27 (Sep 24, 2007)

It tests positive for gold. When is the appropriate time to drop the gold? How do I know when the solution is no longer active?


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## jimdoc (Sep 24, 2007)

Steve can probably give you the best answers.
I would say if the gold is going into the solution
you should wait and see if it all goes into solution
and then precipitate. That way you will not have to
put the floating gold into solution in a seperate step.
Jim


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## lazersteve (Sep 24, 2007)

It's best to let the reaction work until it is complete. It is complete when all the pins of the CPUs are all dissolved and the plates should be removed as they loosen. Test the solution again once all the pins are free floating and the cores are loose. If it tests positive then filter and add SMB to precipitate the gold powder. There may be gold powder in the filter as well. 

Typically the base metals will force the gold out of the solution latter in the reaction. This powder will still need a good cleanup and to be redissolved to get pure gold.

Steve


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## skyline27 (Sep 24, 2007)

Many thanks for the timely response. I'll let it go for a few days and proceed according to your directions.


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## skyline27 (Oct 1, 2007)

I let this batch sit for a long while. I believe the solution was no longer active, as some cpu's had partial gold removed and were no longer progressing. I filtered the solution, dilluted with water and attempted to drop the gold with SMB. Nothing happened initially so I let it sit, adding smb periodically for 3 days. I added a lot of smb. Any thoughts on this one? I'm about ready to pitch this one and start a new batch.


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## Harold_V (Oct 2, 2007)

It's entirely possible that the gold has self precipitated on the remaining base metals, so it will be included in the solids that you'll find in the bottom of the container. 

If you're sure the solution is inactive, separate the solution from the fine solids, and test the solution with stannous chloride to insure that no gold is included. Get the (fine) solids in a filter, then incinerate everything when filtration has finished. If you know that there is little in the way of copper contamination, a wash with hot HCL, followed by a water rinse, then dissolution of the solids with AR would be the next practical step. The values, having precipitated on base metals, may not look at all like gold, but that's where they'll be. 

Don't discard anything that you've spent time on based on the idea that you may have lost the gold. It's damned hard to lose as long as you don't do something stupid------like toss anything. Recovering the values is usually not a big deal----as long as you have them in the beginning. When all else fails, values can be recovered with zinc or scrap steel, then the process started over. 

Harold


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## skyline27 (Oct 2, 2007)

I filtered out the solids. There was almost nothing, just a few gold flakes and some pins. When I started this batch in acid-peroxide with some choice pins, the water immediately turned yellow (like when the foils are dissolved in the acid-bleach) not the green color that I've grown used to. The pins lost the plating but did not dissolve. I don't know if any of this is relevant.


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## Harold_V (Oct 2, 2007)

Was the starting material wire wrap pins? The plating on such material is very thin----a few millionths at best, so you shouldn't expect to see much in the bottom unless you process a large amount of material. Just remember that the gold is still there----all you have to do is find it. I know of no condition in which it can't be recovered. You might also consider that the gold is still on the pins, but covered with a film of sorts, so it no longer is shiny. 

Harold


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## skyline27 (Oct 3, 2007)

I decided to nuke it and threw in tinfoil. I will collect what I can and start over. Learned a few more lessons on this round anyway. 


Many Thanks for all the great advice!!


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## Anonymous (Oct 4, 2007)

I observed the same results in my AP bath and did not know what to do.I noticed thousands of little pins at the bottom of the bucket,none of which still had gold on the outside,at least not in visible form.I didnt recieve any help on what to do so I just filtered off all the solids,poured in some muriatic/clorox let it sit for a few minutes(not too long, I didnt want to percipitate too much non-gold material) strained it again to get out what was left of the copper,nickle and tin,and then just added SMB.

Of course I saved the AP because I need to check that for gold,if I ever get any stannous chloride.
Johnny In Cocoa


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