# Making sulfur dioxide



## Paige (Apr 19, 2008)

Smart people,

It ought to be possible to use lab glass & tubes and other "stuff" to make SO2. Everything we read talks about its being the preferred precipitant.

We all use SMB added to our pregnant AR solution to drop the gold.

Couldn't we put the SMB into a container with a hose leading out and a pressure release system, and add HCL to that. It would then generate SO2 which could be piped into the pregnant AR without adding more solids (like SMB) to the AR solution.

At the end of the hose would be an attachment, hardened clay or something that could be placed (unaffected by acids) into the pregnant AR solution to drop out the gold from the solution.

One of the smart guys would need to tell us how to design this and the stuff to use, but I have tried buying SO2 and can't. We ought to be able to generate our own. Pipe it in into the solution and drop the gold.

So, SMART GUYS, please help.

Paige


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## Noxx (Apr 19, 2008)

Why would you like to use SO2 instead of SMB ?

If you fear that the SMB will add contaminants, remember that we're using food grade SMB and there should be very little to none.


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## Anonymous (Apr 19, 2008)

Not really sure but if you ask for sodium dioxide you will never get it
I do not think that it exist.


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## Paige (Apr 19, 2008)

Sometimes I end up adding too much SMB and have to wash it out of what little gold dropped. If I was working with a gas, I would never have that problem.

For you smart guys, I wouldn't think that coming up with a generator shouldn't be too hard.

Paige


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## SilverNitrate (Apr 20, 2008)

I think you meant Sulfur Dioxide, sodium dioxide don't exist but it will function just like sodium hydroxide NaOH.

What I have tried was this:

Using your dissolved gold neutralize it by titrating with NaOH until it becomes really cloudy. then add little H2O2 to it.

Create this rig, I used a lump of melted/burning sulfur to which a metal funnel would vacuum the SO2 gas and pipe to and bubble in the dissolved gold flask, the vacuum drived by a nebulizer. 

This works satisfactorly but however its hard to regulate the vacuum as the burning sulfur may put out more SO2 than you can handle. 
SO2 is an acid gas like NO2 so it should be avoided.


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## Paige (Apr 20, 2008)

Yes, I meant SULPHUR DIOXIDE.

Shows you what a dumbass I am.

Maybe there's a kiddie forum I could join.

So sorry.

Paige


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## Bernie Foley (Apr 29, 2008)

Hi Paige,
I think we all start some where. That's why you are here! There is no stupid questions only stupid answers!....
The only credit C.M. Hoke got was her(yes HER!) name in the book!
Who did she ask when she had a question? Hokes second book even deals with electroplating! It was published in 1940-41.
We are lucky That the owner of this site alows us to use it at no charge!
There is so many people of all different fields of knowledge willing to share
anything they know with other members!!! So Paige if you don't ask you may never know! Have a great day all !..Benrie


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## Bernie Foley (Apr 29, 2008)

See that's two things wrong i did! A typo spelling my name and not reviewing the post!!!!!!!!


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## lazersteve (Apr 29, 2008)

Paige,

Here's the starting point for easy SO2.

SO2 Generation

Food for thought if you will.

I'll work on a more robust rig and post my results.

Steve


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## Paige (Apr 29, 2008)

Wow.

Thank you.

Paige


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## Anonymous (Apr 29, 2008)

Paige, 

Sorry,
I was not trying to imply anything about dumbassness, is that really a word? 

Just wanting to make sure you where asking for the right chemical because the title said sodium dioxide but the content was sulfur dioxide so it was really more of a clarity for me thing.

Jim.


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## goldsilverpro (Apr 29, 2008)

SO2 can be stored by saturating ice water with it and then putting the solution into lidded plastic jugs. A friend used to bubble SO2 from a cylinder into ice water to do this. When he dropped gold he just used some of the saturated solution. He preferred this over using the gas directly.


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## Scuby (Jun 23, 2011)

Im just messing about in the shed at the moment, I used an old pop bottle to experiment with.

Cut the bottom, leaving air gap like a sort of upturned castle turret
Small low candle with a healthy dolop of sulpher sprinkled over it.
An old fish tank air pump at the top of the bottle (inside) with the cable and pipe sealed through the bottle lid then, lit the candle and pumped the gas into my solution.

I don't know how effective it is but it certainly smells like sulpher dioxide .

Messing about as I did i have a slurry of yellow orange "stuff", i can see tiny bits of gold but how do you get them, most are so small that some are even floating on top with the surface tension?

Im a nugget in search of a nugget and just messing about as is my inquisitive nature

Will a coffee filter work to get at the shiny stuff


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## Harold_V (Jun 25, 2011)

Scuby said:


> Messing about as I did i have a slurry of yellow orange "stuff", i can see tiny bits of gold but how do you get them, most are so small that some are even floating on top with the surface tension?


Your description, while interesting, isn't conclusive. A picture in this case would be worth a thousand words!

I'm going to assume that the yellow orange "stuff" is precipitated gold. That which is floating is likely gold as well. You can minimize the floaters by practicing good lab hygiene. Wash your vessels and tools very well with water and soap, and if they have a film that is difficult to remove, try using BonAmi. Do NOT use any other cleanser, all of which will scratch the hell out of your glassware. 



> Will a coffee filter work to get at the shiny stuff



Sure! So will allowing it to settle, sinking the floaters with a wash bottle. 

However, why bother? Wise people follow up precipitation with washing and rinsing well. It's all done in the same vessel (must be heat tolerant), including force drying. 

You have much to learn, grasshopper. I suggest you start by reading Hoke. That will save you from asking questions that are sure to annoy several people on the forum, including those of us that moderate. We're here to help, but we expect that you'll have learned enough to have the help do just that--help you. By reading Hoke, you'll become familiar with the procedures and terminology. 

Welcome to the forum!

Harold


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## goldsilverpro (Jun 25, 2011)

Because of the great inherent dangers of the process outlined, I have deleted the last 4 posts.


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## Bellien (Jul 19, 2011)

Scuby said:


> Im just messing about in the shed at the moment, I used an old pop bottle to experiment with.
> 
> Cut the bottom, leaving air gap like a sort of upturned castle turret
> Small low candle with a healthy dolop of sulpher sprinkled over it.
> ...




Sprinkling sulphur onto a wax candle produces H2S...

http://www.safetydirectory.com/hazardous_substances/hydrogen_sulfide/fact_sheet.htm


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