# Whatman glass filters for gold stripping cell?



## qst42know (Apr 27, 2010)

Irons had mentioned before the use Whatman glass filters as his preference. 

I was curious if anyone had ever used them for filtering concentrated sulfuric from a gold stripping cell. 

Unless the dilution performs a cleaning function other than protecting a paper filter, it sure would be handy if one could skip the dilution and re-concentration steps at least for a couple cycles.

Has anyone tried this?

Is there a reason it wouldn't work?


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## Irons (Apr 27, 2010)

qst42know said:


> Irons had mentioned before the use Whatman glass filters as his preference.
> 
> I was curious if anyone had ever used them for filtering concentrated sulfuric from a gold stripping cell.
> 
> ...



It will work but it's a bit slow. Con. Sulfuric is quite viscous and it would take a long time to filter. Try a bit of fiberglass insulation. When it's done, rinse out the remaining sulfuric, dry it and put the whole thing in your favorite leach.


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## qst42know (Apr 27, 2010)

Now that's an economical solution.

Thanks Irons. :mrgreen:


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## philddreamer (May 10, 2010)

Thank you gentlemen for that "bit" of information. 
I tried filtering thru several coffee filters & realized "this ain't going to work"! I'll try fiber glass. 

It's a good day!

philddreamer


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## Barren Realms 007 (May 10, 2010)

You could use a charmin plug, it's just a funnel with toilet paper rolled up and put in the spout to act as a filter. Same as the fiberglass.


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## philddreamer (May 10, 2010)

I will try that, too!

Thanks BR007!


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## Irons (May 11, 2010)

Barren Realms 007 said:


> You could use a charmin plug, it's just a funnel with toilet paper rolled up and put in the spout to act as a filter. Same as the fiberglass.



Con Sulfuric will carbonize the toilet paper.


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## lazersteve (May 11, 2010)

When harvesting my sulfuric acid cell, I simply let everything settle for 24 hours then carefully pour or siphon off 90-95% of the concentrated electrolyte, leaving behind the black powder and a small percentage of the concentrated acid.

The acid that is poured off goes directly back into the cell for use on the next batch. The portion with the black powder in it gets added to 4-6 times it's volume of water for dilution.

Let the diluted portion settle, then siphon off the liquid, rinse, repeat, and process the black powder with AR or HCl-Cl.

Steve


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## philddreamer (May 26, 2010)

Gentlemen!

Today I had the chance to harvest my cell & tried a combination of the fiber glass & funnel, plus the residue left @ the bottom I diluted as Steve recommended. The funnel I rinsed 3 times & can be used again, since little gold acumulated. I did another batch today & will try the same technic tomorrow.

I plan to use the HCI-CI method, since I've never tried it before. 

Always thankful for your assistence.

philddreamer


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## Barren Realms 007 (May 26, 2010)

philddreamer said:


> Gentlemen!
> 
> Today I had the chance to harvest my cell & tried a combination of the fiber glass & funnel, plus the residue left @ the bottom I diluted as Steve recommended. The funnel I rinsed 3 times & can be used again, since little gold acumulated. I did another batch today & will try the same technic tomorrow.
> 
> ...



Thanks for repeating this I keep forgetting to use this method. I will have to put it in my bag. 8)


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## philddreamer (Jun 5, 2010)

I will like to share a pair of photos that shows the result of using the fiberglass & funnel technic. I personaly like it & will use it more often with other processes, instead of the coffee filters. The "trick" is not to compact the fiberglass, or it would take a good while. Medium compact & in less than 10 min I was done. Check out the solution; ready for the rest of the batch! 

Thank you all!

philddreamer


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## Irons (Jun 5, 2010)

I came up with the fiberglass idea as a variation of another technique I use for filtering HCl based leach. Instead of fiberglass, I have been using a plug of Dacron fiberfill, the type used for stuffing pillows and such. It seems to last forever. I just stuff a wad in the neck of a large (4 Liter) funnel. Filter paper that size would cost an arm and a first-born and can only be used once. :mrgreen:


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## philddreamer (Jun 5, 2010)

I've really been using the fire proof stuff used if fireplace inserts. I had some left over from when I installed mine. :lol: And I've found a good use for it!!!!  
But I'll be check'n my wife's pillow... for when I run out! :mrgreen:


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## butcher (Jun 5, 2010)

fiberglass in melt would melt to slag glass. Im not sure how ceramic fiber furnace insulation wool would do in melt.


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## philddreamer (Jun 5, 2010)

This is not the hi temp insulator, like the one they use on the tiles of the space shuttle. I use to work @ an outfit in Seattle where we used the same material as the tiles in blankets for special welding procedures. This one I have will melt like fiberglass; it just takes a bit more heat.


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## HAuCl4 (Jun 6, 2010)

Do you plan to hang that carat jewellery in the per-sulphuric cell?.

I wonder what would happen, and would like to read the outcome before I try it myself.


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## philddreamer (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi HAuCI4!
I've been using the sulphuric cell as per lazersteve's video. This process is excellent for stripping GP & GF items. For Karat gold is not good. He states so, & he's right.
In the batches that I've been processesing, I've discovered some karat items, maybe 10K. They had no marks. When I dipped them, like the others, the reaction was very strong for the first 3 - 4 min's. using 12 v/15 amps; then would go down to 10 amps for another 5 min's +/-. I realized something was not right. The small terminal clips got very hot & started to smoke. I did an inspection of the item & it was still golden w/copper mixed. So I set it aside. I had a total of 8 items like this, but after the first expirience, if it took more than 3 min's, I would set the item aside, I try melt'n & inquarting, if indeed karat item. The items looked like mid-eastern jewellery. 
So, karat gold shoul be inquarted, & processed as recommended by the experts in this forum. 
I hope this is of help.

Have a good day!

philddreamer


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## lazersteve (Jun 6, 2010)

Phil,

Those items that gave you a hard time are most likely just Gold Filled. Only a small percentage of gold filled items will strip in the cell. They tend to fizz a lot at first, then they just draw current from the power supply causing heat. The items usually look ' partially blackened' when they come out of the cell.

Karat items in the cell draw lots of amps, but do not decay, they just stay golden colored.

Set up a salt cell for karat jewelry. You can find the details on the forum.

Steve


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## philddreamer (Jun 6, 2010)

Thank you Steve!


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## HAuCl4 (Jun 7, 2010)

Thanks Phil. It sure looks like a fine way to filter sulphuric acid. Your acid is almost transparent after filtration. So many tricks to learn in this forum.


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## philddreamer (Jun 8, 2010)

Thanks to Iron, I learned it from him. I used what I had available & it worked!


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