# Newbie, my scrap, now to learn to refine



## Dellrugby (May 27, 2014)

I am in Qatar and a gold and silver bug. I just started scrapping, and I have joined here so I can learn how to set up my own workshop. I also have a button that is 18 K for a little more than 3 grams from several weeks of using a dust pan around the gold souk area here. It tested a little higher than 18 K with Acid, and I paid one of the ring work shops about 3 dollars to melt it for me. 

I also have Dental Scrap, most has tested to have gold, silver, palladium and/or platinum. I have no idea how I am going to refine this, but I am excited as I have a couple sources for this.

The small scraps of gold came on my last two visits sweeping around the gold souk after I had the first button melted.....

I also have a tiny scrap that tested out as pure platinum, so I will keep on scrapping as I learn the trade of refining.

Thanks for all your help and support as I learn and create my own lab!


----------



## Dellrugby (May 28, 2014)

Pleas let me know if any of you are in Qatar, I could use a partner to work with me on obtaining my chems, and to purchase the correct equipment. I am really concerned with how to separate the metals in the Dental PM's appears to be difficult from what I am reading here, so maybe I will work on the gold first?


----------



## Dellrugby (May 29, 2014)

I think since I have more Dental Scrap than anything else for now, I will jump straight to that, even though it is the hardest. Does Harold have any tutorials on how to chemically separate the gold, silver, platinum and palladium? I am hoping to not lose much, and I could use some help from someone who has already done this. Anyone out on "the deed" who wants to cook with me?

Thanks!


----------



## butcher (May 29, 2014)

Hoke's book will be very helpful.

Harold has made many great posts in dealing with dental scrap which will also be helpful.

Lou, Laser Steve and others, have many topics on the PGM's that will also add to your education.

Basically this is something that takes study,and time to study, most everything you will need to be able to learn is here on the forum.

I do not know that much about the dental scrap from your part of the world, but here much of the white (yours looks gray from photo) may not contain PGM's there are a few ways you can test it.
I would separate the gold dental scrap from the white metals, and test the white dental scrap metals for possible PGM.


----------



## Dellrugby (Apr 29, 2015)

butcher said:


> Hoke's book will be very helpful.
> 
> Harold has made many great posts in dealing with dental scrap which will also be helpful.
> 
> ...




Hokes was a very good read. I would still love to apprentice under someone... I lost about 5 grams of gold when I tried to drop it....


----------



## jeneje (Apr 29, 2015)

Dellrugby said:


> Hokes was a very good read. I would still love to apprentice under someone... I lost about 5 grams of gold when I tried to drop it....


You said you read Hokes book. Did you follow what she wrote? If you did you would not lose your gold. How did you refine the material? Did you make and use stannous to test with? Do you have a gold standard to test your stannous against to make sure it is good? 

Seems to me you need to study a little more about what you are doing. It is best to fully understand the process you are trying. Do not throw out anything if there is still gold in solution you can recover it by adding a copper bus bar. It will cement out as a black powder. 

I would recommend you to do the experiments Ms, Hoke laid out in her book to fully understand how acids react to the different metals. 
Ken


----------



## g_axelsson (Apr 29, 2015)

Dellrugby said:


> Hokes was a very good read. I would still love to apprentice under someone... I lost about 5 grams of gold when I tried to drop it....


How do you know you lost it? 

If you still have all your liquid and solid wastes then you only misplaced your gold.

Göran


----------



## jeneje (Apr 29, 2015)

Dellrugby said:


> I would still love to apprentice under someone...


You are. Some of the best in the world are here. So, now all you have to do follow what is said to you.

Ken


----------

