# refining 925 to 999 silver by pickling?



## Exibar (Dec 21, 2009)

Is it possible to refine sterling into fine simply by pickling it? I always thought you needed Nitric to refine it.

I had a co-worker the other day tell me that she turns sterling into fine by pickling it, melting it, then pickling it again. I wasn't going to argue with her, but I don't see how pickling will refine the silver at all. She says she scrapes off the impurities off the top. I tried to tell her that the scrapings isn't really refining it into .999 fine silver and that the "gunk" she's scraping off is just dirt. She didn't want to hear it at all, and I let it rest at that. Honestly, I don't even think she's fully melting it... she said a few times that "picking the sterling will make it into fine"....

Can anyone help me? Am I wrong and she's right?

thanks!
Mike B


----------



## peter i (Dec 21, 2009)

well, she is refining the very topmost layer by oxidizing and dissolving the copper. But this effect goes only microns into the surface, making the effect on the bulk material very little.

If she really don't buy this, let her "refine" a piece of silver, melt it to a bead and send it of for analysis. Make the deal that if it is fine silver you will pay the analysis and a good dinner, if it is anything less than 98% she will pay and give you a good bottle of single malt.

.... then lean back and enjoy the whisky (careful that she does not cheat.... women do those things!)


----------

