# A/P process newbie problem



## joem (Jul 26, 2010)

I keep telling myself - It's all learning
My wife keeps telling me - Follow the damn directions
so in my little first try I recovered 2 grams of foils ( I know not much)
Here is my problem
I rinsed them using some more Acid Peroxide mix to remove more copper and yes the solution did turn a pale green but all the gold foils dissolved as well, except for tiny floating flakes.
Will I able to drop the dissolved gold using SMB (which I have on order),
then continue with the process?
thanks
joe


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## lazersteve (Jul 26, 2010)

Joe,

Foils should be rinsed in HCl not more AP. 

SMB is not a good choice for reducing the dissolved gold from peroxide rich solutions. Cement the gold out with a solid copper buss bar or gently evaporate to a thick syrup, hydrate with HCl, then add SMB to precipitate the gold. Be sure you filter out all of the floating particles before you dehydrate the solution.

Steve


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## joem (Jul 26, 2010)

I've got a 3 pound test copper ingot from the Sudbury mine
but I don't really want to use this so I think I'll evaporate. Do Ijust let sit or used extra heat? I'm sure the gold is still there, I just need knowledge to get it out.
thanks steve
joe


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## Juan Manuel Arcos Frank (Jul 26, 2010)

Joem:

Do all what your wife says.Do not get her angry.

Behave yourself.

Manuel


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## joem (Jul 26, 2010)

Juan Manuel Arcos Frank said:


> Joem:
> 
> Do all what your wife says.Do not get her angry.
> 
> ...



LOL
ya know when it comes to that I just never learn


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## joem (Jul 30, 2010)

ok I threw in some copper wire stripped from a ball of wire off a circuit board. 24 hours later black particles on the bottom of solution and lots of it. I'm heading out for the weekend so I'll see what happens by the end of the weekend. 
I just love science...


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## joem (Aug 4, 2010)

I received my SMB from eBay.
Mixed some up and the solution turned black like steves video.
and some settling is occuring
I bought a used propane torch
a new melting dish, a heat shield blanket.
I need to get some borax and a few fire bricks.
but hey I'm on my way to my first bit of gold.
I'm so happy at this point.
This is all thanks to the great information freely shared on this site.
thanks everyone


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## joem (Aug 7, 2010)

Now that I have my first bit of gold

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=7683

and since I had a few problems with solution, I got to thinking;
Can I used SMB to drop from AP?
I used copper but I don't think it dropped all of the gold.
I don't have tin yet to make stannus.


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## gorfman6154 (Aug 7, 2010)

Joe,congratulations on your first button. I was thrilled 8) when i made my first bead. Still have it, i would recommend that you do the same.

Now, about some of this other stuff, i believe you are over complicating some straight forward processes.

When using AP, if done correctly, you should not dissolve any Gold. It should all be in the form of Gold foils, and a black powder, in the bottom of your container. if there is any Gold dissolved, it will precipitate when you re-use the AP solution for your next batch. Re-use of AP is it's best attribute. A batch of AP is capable of doing many pounds of fingers,before it is spent.

Another point is to don't over estimate your potential yields, actual yields will present themselves to you as you process more. 

You should be able to get 95/5 solder at any hardware store. Don't proceed until you have Stannous Chloride to test your solutions. It's the only way to test if you have values in your solutions.

Small batches are hard to process, a good suggestion is to save up all your scrap till you have at least a couple of pounds of separated scrap ( cpu's, fingers, pins). Scale up your batch sizes and you will save money on chemicals and fuel for your torch.

Read the Forum, and watch Lazersteve's videos on his website, and follow them to a T, and refine your recovery and refining steps. 

These suggestions are all meant in good spirit, to help you become a better and more efficient refiner.

Good luck, Gary


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## joem (Aug 7, 2010)

hey no problems
I knew exactly where I screwed up and steve gave me guidance to a little gold.
I was just curious because as I let the AP sit for a while I noticed some more powder drop, I figured add copper again to see what happens. 
I just got some tin and will make the stannous soon. This batch was just a test and any gold would be considered a success being my first time.
I have been reading the forum for months off and on before I was a member and almost two weeks straight since I became a member and have watched the videos until I fall asleep at the computer lol, that I even dream of gold in my sleep (true no lie)
As my wife says " you alway speed through things" hehehe
unlike those who feel insulted by corrective criticism I hope more people straighten my speedy ass out with comments, kudos, and guidance.
I'm having a great time with this forum.
keep it coming Gary
and thanks


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## joem (Sep 12, 2010)

ok I'm on my second try but this time with pins from cpus and jumpers
I soaked in A/P and let it sit for 2 weeks
I got lots of foils, rinsed with HCL many times, cleaned with water
pulled out all the garbage.
Rinsed again in HCL no green.
dissolved in HCL and clorox
nice yellow liquid and no foils left behind.
warmed up the liquid to drive off the chlorine
then the liquid turned green????
I dissolved SMB ( I keep sealed in an air tight jar) into some warm water and added to Aucl it and it came back to a yellow and I kept adding until colour change.
It took along time to turn tan, and then hours before it turned black
I left it over night but it is still a dark black.
Right now I have 3/4 liter of black liquid which has about 1/2 a cup of SMB dissolved in it and It does not go clear and drop.
What more can I do?


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## Barren Realms 007 (Sep 12, 2010)

joem said:


> ok I'm on my second try but this time with pins from cpus and jumpers
> I soaked in A/P and let it sit for 2 weeks
> I got lots of foils, rinsed with HCL many times, cleaned with water
> pulled out all the garbage.
> ...



Dilute it 3x with water. Put it in on an outside A/C condenser ifit vibrates. The vibration will help settle it some.


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## joem (Sep 12, 2010)

Then.....BAM
I look at it at 2:00 pm
I go and pick up my wife 
return at 3:30
and it dropped
it's a sneaky bugger for sure


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## jimdoc (Sep 12, 2010)

I usually add the SMB dry,and stirring it gets the process rolling.
Did you stir it after adding the SMB?

Jim


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## glorycloud (Sep 13, 2010)

Again, controlled additions of clorox to the HCL and foils that you want
to dissolve is the best way to get consistent gold drops with SMB. Just
add very small splashes of clorox, swirl and then wait 3 to five minutes 
to see if all the foils are dissolved. If not, add another splash and repeat
until all the foils are gone and your gold is in solution as a pretty yellow.
This way you don't add too much chlorine by adding too much clorox.

After filtering the auric chloride (your yellow liquid), into a glass container,
I vigorously stir in one direction to get a vortex in the middle of the liquid.
I then add the dry SMB and I always get a reaction. First the yellow goes
to a clear plain water like color and then I get the nice black cloud of gold
dropping in the middle of my vortex. It's a great visual effect, especially
for simpletons like me. 8)


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## joem (Sep 25, 2010)

ok quick question
I dropped left over gold from AP with copper, can I redisolve in hcl and clorox along with the new foils to get purer gold?

edit: Black gold powder with foils mixed in from cpu pins, can I redisolve?


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## lazersteve (Sep 25, 2010)

Yes, Once the gold is free of base metals and in a finely divided state, or very thin cross section HCl-Cl is great.

Steve


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