# HNO3 Leach for Ore



## jeneje (Aug 19, 2012)

I found this formula on the web and wanted to know if anybody has tried this on ore. What are the dangers in using this please.
Ken

Bring 2 gallons of distilled water to a boil in a coated metal pan… like the gray/black ones used for canning. Add in about 6 pounds of non-iodized salt and stir in very well. You want to fully saturate the salt into the water. Let the solution cool overnight and let all of the excess salt settle to the bottom of the container. Some salt may still be floating on top or stuck to the sides of the container… just tap on the side of the container and they will settle to the bottom. Dip out 7 quarts of the saturated salt water into another plastic or glass container. You will have a lot of salt gathered in the bottom and approx a qt of water, just save this for the next batch and repeat the process but use apprx 5+ pounds of salt on the second and future batches. We just use plastic buckets with lids on them. Now to your 7 quarts of saturated salt water you add 1 quart of Nitric Acid and mix it together. *BE CAREFUL OF THE FUMES *that are released. *DO NOT BREATHE THEM!* If you want the leach to be more aggressive… which you probably will not need because it is very aggressive as it is… you can add up to 1 ounce of 7% iodine.


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## Irons2 (Aug 20, 2012)

This is commonly known as SSN Leach. It's popular in some circles.


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## jeneje (Aug 20, 2012)

Irons2 said:


> This is commonly known as SSN Leach. It's popular in some circles.


Thanks Irons2, is a safe leach to use and does it work on concentrates?
Ken


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## Irons2 (Aug 20, 2012)

jeneje said:


> Irons2 said:
> 
> 
> > This is commonly known as SSN Leach. It's popular in some circles.
> ...



It's just another version of Poor Man's AR. From my experience, no, unless the concentrate has free Gold and there are no other elements that would cause issues.


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## Labman (Sep 18, 2012)

The SSN leach at 1 to seven nitric acid to saturated salt water hardly works at all at room temperature, but warm the solution to 70 to 80 Celsius and watch that gold concentrate disappear! Only iridium and it's alloys along with antimony oxide and quartz will be left undissolved.
You won't be able to precipitate the gold with normal reagents. A mixture of ferrous sulfate with sulfuric acid and sheet steel will reclaim your gold at room temperature. Butyl diglyme can be used to extract the gold. Boiling solution of oxalic acid will precipitate the gold from the butyl diglyme. 8)


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