# Gold foils straight to melting?



## Mingo (Aug 16, 2010)

Hello all.....I just processed some vintage 60's boards and finally got quite a bit of values.......can I proceed to the melting dish straight from the rinse, or do I need to dissolve to Auric Chloride first and then drop out of solution before melting? Thanks in advance, Mingo


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## joem (Aug 16, 2010)

Mingo said:


> Hello all.....I just processed some vintage 60's boards and finally got quite a bit of values.......can I proceed to the melting dish straight from the rinse, or do I need to dissolve to Auric Chloride first and then drop out of solution before melting? Thanks in advance, Mingo



no melting yet
watch steve's video before you proceed


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## goldsilverpro (Aug 16, 2010)

The foils aren't pure. The gold, in most cases, is alloyed with a little nickel or cobalt to harden it. The Ni or Co usually runs from 0.1% to 1.0%. Also, 100% of the Ni and Cu underneath probably hasn't dissolved. So, about the highest purity the foils will be is about 99%.

What I'm saying is, you should dissolve and purify the foils before melting, either with HCl/Cl or AR.


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## Mingo (Aug 16, 2010)

Thank you; I have watched all of 
Steve's videos, but was confused about the next step (probably too anxious) been reading Hoke and the forum alot.......now time to digest :mrgreen: 
Mingo


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## nickvc (Aug 16, 2010)

For me there's no point in going for high grade gold but I do have access to cheap , quick assays. I would just melt but only because of the afore mentioned reasons , if you can't get the same service refine to .99 plus, that way you know what you have and shouldn't be cheated on the assays and or the values you have.


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## Mingo (Aug 20, 2010)

Hello all; I recently processed some vintage circuit boards from the 60's (Tektronic) using the AP method. I cleaned the foils and dissolved in HcL and Clorox and got a nice golden Auric Chloride solution. I then added SMB and waited overnight......the next morn, I had a dark brown solution but zero precipitate....tested with Stannous and received a dark brownish/purple result. Anyone point me in the right direction? This is my first real attempt at refining and I used some very good material, so I don't want to lose it. Thanks for any help given.
-Mingo-
Been reading other posts on my problem......I have heated the SMB solution without any results....should I start over with fresh Hcl/Clorox, and if so could someone explain exactly how I should do this? Sorry fellows for the repeat question, but I have a very pregnant solution here and would hate to lose it due from inexperience. Thank you all again.


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## Barren Realms 007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Have paitence, the gold is possibly dirty and will take time to settle to the bottom.


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## Harold_V (Aug 21, 2010)

Barren Realms 007 said:


> Have paitence, the gold is possibly dirty and will take time to settle to the bottom.


He stated "....tested with Stannous and received a dark brownish/purple result."
That clearly implies that gold is in solution, so further action is likely required. 

Mingo---do not fear losing your values. As long as you do not discard anything, regardless of the condition in which you find your values, they can be recovered. If all else fails, you can cement them with copper. 

Harold


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## Oz (Aug 21, 2010)

Harold is spot on as to you not loosing your values unless you toss them. 

I read Mingo's other posts in “Help” and he mentioned that he had heated it. Since you used sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) I would guess you used it in excess as most do. Since you have a stannous test like you do, I am rather sure that you did not heat your solution long enough or at a high enough temperature (just shy of boiling). 

One of the great advantages of Cl2 over nitric is the ease of which it is removed from a chloride solution (HCl). 

Take your solution to just shy of boiling and hold it there for an hour, let it set overnight, the retest with stannic.


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## Mingo (Aug 21, 2010)

Whew, thanks guys for the reassurance......my lab is littered with known gold bearing solutions that I couldn't figure out........and ya'll are right, I did use an excess of Chlorine and although I heated, I didn''t heat for long and no where near a boil......that MUST be the problem. Thanks fellows.....I will do that and report results (I see others having the same prob)
Mingo


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## GrailSeeker (Sep 20, 2010)

I would like to ask the same about a spring gauge I found inside an high current ammeter. Although delicate and extremely light, it looks gold. Shouldn't it just go straight to the dish along with the powder?


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## qst42know (Sep 20, 2010)

GrailSeeker said:


> I would like to ask the same about a spring gauge I found inside an high current ammeter. Although delicate and extremely light, it looks gold. Shouldn't it just go straight to the dish along with the powder?



I suspect you already know this, but you aren't even sure it's gold let alone it's purity why would you include it in a melt?


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## GrailSeeker (Sep 20, 2010)

qst42know said:


> GrailSeeker said:
> 
> 
> > I would like to ask the same about a spring gauge I found inside an high current ammeter. Although delicate and extremely light, it looks gold. Shouldn't it just go straight to the dish along with the powder?
> ...




As I said it came from an ammeter with scale up to several thousands of amps. If gold has such a high melting point wouldn't there be a reason to make it out of pure gold?


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## 4metals (Sep 20, 2010)

The key to success in this refining thing is testing. Put a snippet in 3 drops of HCl and a drop of nitric and when it dissolves test the acid with stannous chloride test solution.

You can accomplish this test faster than typing a post.


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## GrailSeeker (Sep 20, 2010)

4metals said:


> The key to success in this refining thing is testing. Put a snippet in 3 drops of HCl and a drop of nitric and when it dissolves test the acid with stannous chloride test solution.
> 
> You can accomplish this test faster than typing a post.




Homework added! Thanks! :mrgreen:


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## qst42know (Sep 20, 2010)

Pure gold would make a poor spring. 

It may well be plated to prevent corrosion.


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