# How get silver from X-Ray?



## Geld Konig (Jul 6, 2010)

Well, 
Itook silver from X-ray using a solution 10% NaOH and heat on a stove. I dry it ( the precipitate), but is difficult to melt. Anyone, in past, use this method? The results? I think to use HCl to remuve the NaOH (basic) from the precipitate. So the HCL reacts with NaOH forming NaCl -salt -that is very soluble in this solution pH = 7. I'll wash it well with much water and take the precipitate ( dry it). I think it will be only silver and little gelatine(protein) that burn whem i melt them.
Anyone have a comment?


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## qst42know (Jul 6, 2010)

Photographic silver is extremely fine particles. Aren't you creating a high percentage of silver chloride by treating this with HCL? 

Wouldn't it be better to rinse out the NaOH with plenty of distilled water?


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## goldsilverpro (Jul 6, 2010)

Filter the sludge from the NaOH, rinse well, incinerate to white or light gray ash (no black left), and then melt the residue using about 1/4 of its weight in borax and about 1/10 of its weight in soda ash. Crush the incinerated residue and blend it with the fluxes before melting.

When you incinerate, the stink will be terrible and I doubt if it's good to breathe the fumes. Pick an isolated spot and do it outside. I incinerated in a large discus blade (with the hole welded shut) over a gas furnace - worked like a big wok.

An modification that will reduce the amount of sludge quite a bit is:
(1) Filter the sludge and rinse as well as you can
(2) In a bucket, cover with 10% sulfuric, by volume. Let it leach for 2 or 3 hours, with occasional stirring.
(3) Filter and rinse well.
(4) Incinerate and melt as above


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## Geld Konig (Jul 6, 2010)

Thanks, Goldsilverpro.


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## goldsilverpro (Jul 6, 2010)

I forgot to mention to allow the sludge to settle in the NaOH and then siphon or dip off the solution. You can then collect the sludge and filter it. Also, you can reuse the solution to strip more film.


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