# Aqua Regia Process Failing?



## Render (Nov 7, 2011)

Alright i am not entirely sure i am in the right place for this. Recently i came into posession of a lot of old computers. I have been taking the boards fromt he computers and cutting them up to remove any peices that have gold plateng on them. I understand that thisis not pure gold and i also understand how very leittle gold is actually on these computers, But it adds up. 

Anyways, I have been following a very strict set of instructions using Hydrochloric Acid and Subzero (Nitric Acid Subsitute) to disolved the metals of the boards. This works out perfectly every time. However, Once done I add Urea to the solution untill the acid stops reacting to it. Ones this is done i weigh whats left of the boards and figure out hom much metal was disolved and from ehre i add the recomended amount of Storm precipitent ( 2 table spoons for every one ounce of disolved gold) This reacts Foams up gets very pungent and then finally settles and after a few moments at the bottom of the beaker i am working with i have brown mud. From my understanding this mud is suppose to be gold, hoever the Aqua Regia needs to be cleaned from the mud. 

This is where I come to a Wall. I have tried two differant methods for cleaning the mud.

1. Decant the spent acid, Wash mud with amonia, Decant Amonia, Wash with Tap water Repeat ammonia and water wash till the mud is clean. Rinse the mud one last time with distilled water. Heat on a hot plate untill you have a sand.

2 Decant acid, Rinse mud wit tap water and let settle (repeat 3-4 times) Rinse with amonia, Rinse with Distilled water, Heat until you have sand. 

With both of these processes i come up with a sand that is either, white-ish, Green, Grey,Seafoam green, or Rust colored. When I go to melt the sand down it does not liquify, instead it lupmps up as black slag.. 

As i saif before i may not be in the right place for this, but I am hitting this wall and it is becoming very depressing how many faliures I have had. If anyone has any suggestions on what I may be doing wrong, i would be greatly appreciative.


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## Geo (Nov 7, 2011)

first,let me say welcome to the forum.second ,it sounds to me like another Shor costumer that cant get the system to work.please stop what your doing and read up on the processes your trying to do here on the forum.i understand you have some questions about why this isn't working the way the instruction said it would and believe me when i say your not the first one.unless you've stripped all the gold plated components from 250-300 desktop computers your not going to have an ounce of gold anyway.if it worked as well as they claim you wouldn't have to keep buying their products at a very high markup price when you can buy the same chemicals at the hardware store.the main thing is you cant destroy the gold,you can change its state but never destroy.no matter what you have done to it you can recover it unless you just throw it away.search in the box at the upper right hand corner for "Shor" and you will find all the post where people like you have had the same problems and the solutions to fix it are all there.good luck and happy refining.

Jeff


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## Claudie (Nov 7, 2011)

I hope you have read some about safety and you are doing this in a very well ventilated area or with a fume hood. :|


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## jimmydolittle (Nov 8, 2011)

Welcome to the forum! You can save a considerable amount of money on your chemicals by buying locally at your garden supply store. Shor’s Sub- Zero is in reality sodium or potassium nitrate, (not sure which). Storm precipitant is sodium metabisulfite. I learned the hard way. I would suggest you go to Steve’s site and watch his video’s: http://www.goldrecovery.us/.


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## Render (Nov 8, 2011)

Hello, and thank you for the Greetings. 

I did not realize the Shor systemw as so frowned upon, I intend to look around more locally for my supplies int he future. Thankfully i have not spent a terribly large amount of money with them.. not directly any ways. 

I am going to takethe time to look over the forum carefully before I move foreward any more than this. i do understand that there isnt alot of gold to be had from the computers unless you have a tone of them at your disposal. but even a quater ounce would be profitible since its more of a hobby than anything else. I did not quit my day job yet LOL. 

As far as saftey, i made sure to investigate that thouroughly, I wear gogles, gloves, and a Ventilation mask at all times while working witht he chemicals and I work inside a screen tent, not surei can get more ventilated than that.  Thank you for asking though I appreciate the Concern. 

Shor has not made mehapy to start with, however i was unsure of where esle to get the chemicals. I did by Sodium Bisulfate froma local Pool Care store, but it ddint have any effect on the Aqua regia solution, So perhapes i bought the rong stuff? 

Thanks, 
Render


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## jimmydolittle (Nov 8, 2011)

Make up some stannous chloride to test your solution. It’s the only way to know if there is gold in it. Not hard to make, take a shot piece of tin solder and dissolve in an ounce or less of muriatic acid.


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## Geo (Nov 8, 2011)

Render said:


> I did by Sodium Bisulfate froma local Pool Care store, but it ddint have any effect on the Aqua regia solution, So perhapes i bought the rong stuff?
> Thanks,
> Render



most definitely.check your spelling on the sodium metabisulfate.you should have sodium metabisulfite, metabisulfite precipitates gold and metabisulfate just makes a mess. you can buy it a wine making & brewing shops and some people use stump-out from the hardware store.i buy mine from Ebay as five pounds will precipitate alot of gold.


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## jimmydolittle (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks Geo, I stand corrected.


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