# Whats am I doing wrong.



## DnSInCorp (Nov 26, 2011)

I am new to this whole thing. And I got all my safty gear in place.And what I am doing here is making my Aqua Regia droping my CPU and other chipps into the mix. I can see it turn a dark green color and a lot of bubbling gose on. When all said and done I go to filt witch I am using coffie filerts. The first time I got this dark green brown slug in the filter. The next time, nothing and this time I used more scrap. same steeps. And I can see that all teh gold comes off the crap. It's like it is all gone. Is there somthing here that I am missing? Doing wrong? Thanks for the help ahead of time


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## jimmydolittle (Nov 26, 2011)

There is somthing missing! Stop what you are doing, and learn the process. Learn all you can about refining, and then come back to what you are doing.


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## qst42know (Nov 26, 2011)

Your gold may now in liquid form or it may be with the solids, or both. 

I see no mention of a selective precipitant or stannous chloride test.

Put both liquid and solids up safely for now and do some reading.


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## slickdogg (Nov 26, 2011)

wait till harrold sees this! :lol:


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## slickdogg (Nov 26, 2011)

Harold * sorry misspelled


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## jeneje (Nov 26, 2011)

slickdogg said:


> wait till harrold sees this! :lol:



It's going to get ugly, :lol:


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## DnSInCorp (Nov 26, 2011)

I am sorry, But all I have done is read ready ready and yes some more reading. And I cant find a strate answer. So sorry for my question. There is nothing out there that I have found that says this is how it is done and here is what you do spelled out steep by steep. I have watched countless videos and this is what I can see that every one ells dose. thats why I asked. thanks for the input and I guess I will do some more reading.


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## slickdogg (Nov 26, 2011)

DnSInCorp get a copy of refining precious metal waste by c.m. hoke
you can download it here from several of the members sig. line


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## butcher (Nov 26, 2011)

DnSInCorp 

"I am sorry, but all I have done is read ready and yes some more reading. And I can’t find a strait answer. So sorry for my question. There is nothing out there that I have found that says this is how it is done and here is what you do spelled out steep by steep. I have watched countless videos and this is what I can see that every one ells dose. That’s why I asked. Thanks for the input and I guess I will do some more reading."


You are new and impatient, it may take some time, but everything you need has been provided, you seem to need to learn what you are looking for. So you know it when you see it. you are learning a very vast subject, there is an awful lot to this, several methods, and processes depending on what the materials are, this is not something as simple as most who come here think,
It is not that hard but it does take study and perseverance.

First take slickdogg's advice, and keep reading the forum before you know it the light will come on in your head.


start studying Hoke's, do the expieriments she tells you to do.
then take one process like memory fingers, acid peroxide process, then HCl/bleach on the foils study everything you can about it.

calm down there is plenty of time to learn, this is not a just jump in and do it kind of thing.


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## 4metals (Nov 26, 2011)

Unfortunately this is an example of one of the subtle things that happen to precious metals in acid when the acid becomes saturated with other metals. Unless you know what to look for you can lose your values. The reason it pays to read a book like Hoke's is it will teach you the basics in a way you can understand and with a good basic foundation you will understand what happened here. 

What you neglected to do was to eliminate as many base metals as possible before using the aqua regia. The aqua regia dissolves most of the metals, including the gold, but when the base metals get too concentrated they will push the gold out of solution while more base metals go into solution. So don't worry, the gold is in the dark green brown slug that you are cursing.

If you had tested your solution as you progressed you would have had a positive test for gold with stannous chloride, and after a while a negative test for gold. One thing you didn't mention was testing, it is something you should learn quickly. It is truly your eyes when it comes to metals dissolved in acid. 

If you take your green brown mud and roast or incinerate it and dissolve as much as you can in a mixture of half nitric acid and half distilled water, you will digest most of the base metals and none of the gold. Silver and palladium will be in the acid as well and if testing indicates their presence, they should be dropped and saved to process later. 

Whatever remains undissolved on your filter paper after the nitric treatment is what you put up in aqua regia. If most of the base metals have dissolved in the pre treatment, the acid should remain red. Any undigested base metals will turn the color towards green but not anything like the dark green experienced when you first used aqua regia.

From here, follow your video's and you will recover the gold.

Two very important things you should bring away from this experience are;

1) whenever possible eliminate the base metals before digesting the gold in Aqua regia

2) Read about testing with stannous chloride, make up solutions to test and know what to look for to indicate gold and PGM's with the stannous testing. Until you know this stuff cold, test, test, and test again, you'll never regret it.


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## DnSInCorp (Nov 27, 2011)

WOW. thanks for the info. That was a great inside!!! It always helps me to get some one form the out side looking in. Your right I did not say anything about testing. And truth be told I did not know I had to test. no were have I read yet about testing. I can now see why. I did find that book hokes. This has been my first to hear about it tonight. I am going to be reading that all this weekend to get a better unsterstaning. I think right now my eyes are biger than my plate and I am rushing it to fast. But from what you said it sounds like I still have my gold jut a litter harder to get it out. Would there be a kit you would recemend me to buy for the testing? And do you think my filter ideal is ok for what I am doing or is there somthing better to use? Thanks so much again.


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## Geo (Nov 27, 2011)

i wish i knew years ago what i know now,i would at the least be very wealthy and alot more healthier.the process you have chosen to refine with is in my opinion the hardest to master when dealing with Escrap.i have far from mastered anything.i thought i knew something about it when i came here to the forum and even though i did know about some of the chemicals and fundamentals i knew nothing about refining.AR is hard on everything,your equipment,your money,your patience and your health.put what you have done up safely and study a less harsh and easier process to start with and the one you should have started with this time,AP (or acid peroxide).there are steps to these processes and you skipped all of the first steps and went straight to the end.now you have to play catch up and learn all the steps you skipped to get back to where you are now.if you dont you will be forever at a loss as to what to do next when you should already know what to do first second and third all the way to the end before you start.


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## Geo (Nov 27, 2011)

DnSInCorp
make your own test solution by dissolving 2 grams of lead free solder in 50ml of hcl acid (muriatic acid) in a clean glass container (preferably with a glass dropper).if all the solder dissolves just add a little more until no more will dissolve and then add a small piece to keep the test solution active longer.it may have to sit out overnight. DO NOT PUT A CAP ON TIGHTLY!! pressure will build and the container can burst violently.after the reaction stops you can cap tightly to preserve test solution.


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## 4metals (Nov 27, 2011)

> do you think my filter ideal is ok for what I am doing or is there somthing better to use?



It all depends on how much you plan on eventually processing. For small scale and learning, coffee filters are fine, if you really get into this there are many routes that you can follow. First priority is to learn the basics, the more you know, the less likely it will be that someone can sell you something you don't need.


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## Dr. Poe (Nov 27, 2011)

DnSInCorp said:


> I am new to this whole thing. And I got all my safty gear in place.And what I am doing here is making my Aqua Regia droping my CPU and other chipps into the mix. I can see it turn a dark green color and a lot of bubbling gose on. When all said and done I go to filt witch I am using coffie filerts. The first time I got this dark green brown slug in the filter. The next time, nothing and this time I used more scrap. same steeps. And I can see that all teh gold comes off the crap. It's like it is all gone. Is there somthing here that I am missing? Doing wrong? Thanks for the help ahead of time



Study the electromotive series. You need to know the nobility and pecking order of metals. Gold does indeed dissolve into aqua regia, but not until all metals of less nobility either are dissolved or enter into passivity. Any gold that starts to dissolve, will immediately precipitate (UN-dissolve) as the acid touches the baser metals. If this solution is cold, a colloid of gold( atomized particles) will turn your solution dark. But don't be fooled, that colloidal gold is not in ionic solution. Reduction agents will have no effect on it. If you've expelled the organic matter, the first step is to wash it with water containing a little dish soap to get rid of the oils from your fingers et. al. Rinse it good, then start with a dilute nitric acid wash.
Don't you ever add water to an acid. You can add acid to water. Some acids will blow up in your face if you add water to them instead of them to water. Sulfuric acid is the most dangerous to get this backwards. Download and read the best tutorial for beginners that I've ever seen---Hoke's Come back to us with questions that you need further clarification. Dr. Poe


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## DnSInCorp (Nov 27, 2011)

I want to thank each one of you. I did find that book and dowloaded it and did some heavy reading late last night. (kinda got a headach this morning lol). But now I have lots of thinking to do. I think I will re read that book a few times before going at it again. I knew I would get pointed in the right direction here. So thanks guys for the input. I also when and bought some dvds and other stuff. any other thoughts on were to find good reading material that you guys can let me know aobut. I dont mind reading I just want to read the right stuff and not somes ones thoughts on there web stie that might miss lead me. (is were I am at right now). Thanks for the safy tip on the water and acid. Thats the very last thing I want. Thanks again guys.


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## butcher (Nov 27, 2011)

Read old posts on the forum (this can be done by following certain subject or just from top to bottom), what you will find is how much of the processes have evolved and why, you will also finds tons of material people have found and shared access to, there is literally a recovery and refining library here, any college would be proud to own. you will also learn what process works and what does not work, you will learn from reading of mistakes others have made and how they get out of the mess, it will also help you to see important points in Hokes book you may have missed. You have joined not just a forum but a whole new world, and reading will open you up to this new world.

I think it’s great your starting to see reading is the key to this lock. When you read something you love it is not work but becomes fun.


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## nickvc (Nov 28, 2011)

DnSInCorp said:


> I want to thank each one of you. I did find that book and dowloaded it and did some heavy reading late last night. (kinda got a headach this morning lol). But now I have lots of thinking to do. I think I will re read that book a few times before going at it again. I knew I would get pointed in the right direction here. So thanks guys for the input. I also when and bought some dvds and other stuff. any other thoughts on were to find good reading material that you guys can let me know aobut. I dont mind reading I just want to read the right stuff and not somes ones thoughts on there web stie that might miss lead me. (is were I am at right now). Thanks for the safy tip on the water and acid. Thats the very last thing I want. Thanks again guys.




Well with that attitude I think your going to make it and look forward to seeing you progress through this vast but fascinating subject..


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## Dr. Poe (Nov 28, 2011)

Working at something that is fun doesn't feel like work. Like the song: ...we love to work at nothing all day. Taking care of business...and working overtime. Finding that yellow button in the cupel---What a thrill! Dr. Poe


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## kurt (Nov 28, 2011)

DnSInCorp said:


> I want to thank each one of you. I did find that book and dowloaded it and did some heavy reading late last night. (kinda got a headach this morning lol). But now I have lots of thinking to do. I think I will re read that book a few times before going at it again. I knew I would get pointed in the right direction here. So thanks guys for the input. I also when and bought some dvds and other stuff. any other thoughts on were to find good reading material that you guys can let me know aobut. I dont mind reading I just want to read the right stuff and not somes ones thoughts on there web stie that might miss lead me. (is were I am at right now). Thanks for the safy tip on the water and acid. Thats the very last thing I want. Thanks again guys.


Besides taking some time to look around on this forum & reading what you can find right here -there are a number of people on this forum that have ether writen "trusted" info (books to buy) or made "trusted" videos you can buy & you will find that info as you look around & read stuff on this forum. Other then that, I would not trust info that comes from any other place then from this forum &/or its members --- been there done that & I was really misslead before I found this forum. --- A lot of really bad info out there - compared to alot of really GOOD info here

Kurt


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## lazersteve (Nov 28, 2011)

You should also check out all of the links in the Guided Tour below. They will give you an idea of what terms and ingredients used here.

I have a video on making and using stannous on my website; look for the free video Making Auric Chloride at Home.

What sort of cpus are you processing and how many?

Steve


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## DnSInCorp (Nov 29, 2011)

I cant wait to see your video keep us posted. I am finding a lot of good info here and to be honest I am a bit blown away with all the info here. I am like a kid in a candy store and the store keep say its all free!!. . The CPU range from the 775's all the way down to a bunch of old 332 chips. (right before the 886 chip.) I have hundrads of them. Not only CPUs I am doing the ram chips, pins, contacts and other items that cam be trimed. The resion I am going to start to do this is because I have a full warehouse 65,000 SF full of old used escrap. and were my shop is located has very relaxed laws about cemceicals and escrap. I am fallwing all the EPA laws and state laws but my county just ask that I fallows those laws. So you can see were I am going. On a monthly basse I can have any ware from 400 to 4000 new escrap show up. For the last 7 years we have worried about repairing the stuff and reselling it. (witch is a slow prosses) But if I can just go to scrap for gold. Heck. Now you know why I must get this to work right. Anys way I need to do it right and safly first. Once more thanks soo much for the great input I am taking it all to hart.


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## lazersteve (Nov 30, 2011)

The video I was referring to has been available for viewing for several years now. Feel free to view it anytime
.

Steve


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