# Pictures added Iodine Leach Test In Progress



## greatgems (Jan 15, 2011)

I have just started a test IODINE Leach 

using 

10% Iodine Solution From Drug Store 100ml Special order
1000 ml Water Distilled 

Pyrex retangle Container with Lid 1.5 L 

5 Peice of Silver Plated Vase .800 Copper .200 Silver i though this was a good start and test 

No bubbler just straight solution 

Very Dark Solution seems to be very strong lets see what happens 

Will post Results on Silver and Gold and might even try Platinum and Rd 

stay Posted want to know peoples thoughts

Solutions not that expensive for 1100ml or 1.1L of the solution it cost $24 cdn but from what i have read this might be to strong or very strong so might be able to add 400 ml more of water make it an even 1.5L of solution that can be used over and over again.


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## Anonymous (Jan 15, 2011)

If I remember correctly,that bottle only has 1% available iodine in it.I may be wrong but look at the percentage of active ingredients on the back.


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## greatgems (Jan 15, 2011)

It's 10% full bottle is active man it's strong can't see threw my mixture at the bottom of it is already silver flake today


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## Anonymous (Jan 15, 2011)

Is it Providone-Iodine?


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## greatgems (Jan 15, 2011)

Medical grad tinicure ordered from drug store just say you are in the jewellery industry and using it for stripping silver and gold plated items they don't ask questions then you don't have to worry about them thinking you are creating drugs at your house


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## Anonymous (Jan 15, 2011)

Please try to proofread your replies before submitting them.That way there is no potential misunderstanding in the future.....thnx.
I will look into the iodine.


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## greatgems (Jan 15, 2011)

Sorry iPhone is what i have been using. I find it working very fast already and moved the scrap to 2.7 litre Pyrex dish and added 500 ml of water bring it to 1.5L of water to 100ml of 10% iodine air stone added also now


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## Patrick_R (Jan 16, 2011)

I look forward to seeing your results. Please post pictures if you are available to. Even ones from your phone. As much as I learn from reading here a picture... well like they say, a picture is like a thousand words, or something.


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## greatgems (Jan 17, 2011)

will tomorrow its flaking the silver right off alot of it i think is also in the solution i braught the solution back up to 100ml per 1000ml of water it works better that way see copper on one of the 8 peices i put in will take picture as soon as i Can thanks


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## greatgems (Jan 17, 2011)

Pictures

First one is just my set up its a pyrex dish baking dish with lid and hole on top with air stone in side and hose going threw lid 

Next is only about 36 hours later of a cut up silver plated vase the plating is flaking right off this is an excellent way to set up a leach leave it be and keep putting more stuff to deplate thanks


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## greatgems (Jan 18, 2011)

This process seems to work better as the solution gets lighter and closer to water color process is excellent to just leave and let it work it's magic


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## greatgems (Jan 19, 2011)

Gol leaching is fast for passive leach I started a 500 ml of water and 50 ml of iodine threw some pins in some cell phone boards some connectors cell phone board was stripped when I woke up had it in for about 8 hours excellent process so pleased


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## heartlander27 (Jan 24, 2011)

Hello everyone, I am a newbie to any type of refining. I have about 10 lbs of plated antique silver items mostly silverware, bowls, candle holders and such. Some of the older items seem to have a good amount of silver. I liked this idea about using iodine leaching. Im interested in learning more about this technique and seeing the results form the leaching. 

Thanks, Andy


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## eeTHr (Jan 24, 2011)

heartlander27---

Most of the chemicals used in recovery and refining are very dangerous in one way or another, and sometimes in several ways.

This is not always mentioned in every post, so while it may seem like instant fun and riches, there is way more to it than that.

Read the Safety Section first, and if you feel that you have the patience and wherewithall to apply all of the safety precautions, then take the Guided Tour and you will come to the download for the first refining book that you absolutely must read, in order to get anywhere with anything at all concerning refining.

If you don't fully regard the safety precautions, it's likely that you will shortly end up in the hospital or the morgue. That's just the way it is.

If you are sharp, and take all the precautions, you will have lots of fun, make some friends, and probably make some money at it in one way or another.

Welcome to the forum!

8)


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## heartlander27 (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks Eethr,
Safety is always #1, actually part of my full time job is Health & Safety and Quality Control. I have great respect for chemicals and would never attempt to try something Im not 100% sure of. That is partially why Im interested in the iodine procedure, I checked the MSDS on iodine and it was suprising how dangerous it is in at 100% non dilluted. I always thought of iodine as just a strong dissinfectant. I suppose it is when it's dilluted to .50 %.

I do have a few questions on the procedure.
1. What is an "air stone" I assume the small clear tube is directed outside for ventilation and gas build up egress.
2. What is the best way to capture the leached silver after the silver plate is removed? Coffee filter maybe?
3. Is silver iodine leaching any different than gold iodine leaching. Procedural wise?
4. How much silver is disolved into the leach and will it filter out or is another process necessary?
Thanks


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## eeTHr (Jan 24, 2011)

heartlander27---

I've never used that process, but maybe the original poster or someone else can help you.


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## greatgems (Jan 24, 2011)

Sorry for disappearing was in states fr few days going again tonight to California 

But air stone is the thing that makes fine bubbles in a fish tank but after another test it's not needed at all 


Just use 10% iodine but find cheapest supply you can put in large 2 to 10 litre pyrex dish what ever amount of iodine you use make sure it's 1 to 10 solution 1 part iodine 10 parts water use as much plated silver or gold you can

it really works well first 3 days most the silver and gold will drop it flake off make sure ever 5 to 12 hours up to you you move peaces around it let's the silver flake to bottom keep adding more and moe till all peices are stripped then filter out silver or gold flake with coffee filter add pure copper peices helps more silver and gold presipitate the only thing I'm finding out is if adding electric current will help presipatation any 

Iodine is safe and smells a little but no dangerious gasses 
keep covered or it will evaporate and you will loose your iodine which could be costly 

Thanks 
Joshua


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## qst42know (Jan 25, 2011)

Iodine is not as benign as you might believe. You should be more careful, low odor doesn't mean safe.

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/i2680.htm


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## heartlander27 (Jan 25, 2011)

Thanks for the update. Hows that leach coming along?


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## copperkid_18 (Jan 26, 2011)

qst42know said:


> Iodine is not as benign as you might believe. You should be more careful, low odor doesn't mean safe.
> 
> http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/i2680.htm




That MSDS it for 100% iodine, not 10% as called for in this process.


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## qst42know (Jan 26, 2011)

copperkid_18 said:


> qst42know said:
> 
> 
> > Iodine is not as benign as you might believe. You should be more careful, low odor doesn't mean safe.
> ...



I did not search for an MSDS for a 10% solution however it's possible one might be available.

The point is iodine needs to be respected. See the exposure limits in parts per million.



> Airborne Exposure Limits:
> -OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL):
> 0.1 ppm Ceiling
> -ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV):
> ...


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## copperkid_18 (Jan 26, 2011)

ok, I actually check on the bottle I plan on using and it said that it is actually only 1% actual iodine. I use the stuff from Wal-E-World.


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## copperkid_18 (Jan 26, 2011)

I started wondering today If this would work on keyboard Mylars? Not sure but I will have to test. Any input would be apprecited. 8)


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## greatgems (Jan 26, 2011)

So im down in california buying 1000 catalytic converters i pay 28.99 per 100 ml of proviodine in canada or tinicure iodine which is 10% i walk in a CV drug store and see proviodine 10% for only 18 bucks for 350 plus ml that make over 3.4 litres of solution so im going to bufalo when i get home for a day trip to buy lots of iodine at those prices its really profitable


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## copperkid_18 (Jan 26, 2011)

OK. I started my test tonight. About .2g of medium grade gold pins. My solution is .5ml Iodine to 5 ml Water. I will post my results in a couple of days. Thanks for this reaction.... I don't really like messing with HCL!


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## heartlander27 (Jan 26, 2011)

I started my test too. $7.00 for 8oz iodine at wally world. I'm stripping plated silverware bought from various thrift stores. Im finding out that stores like Goodwill and Thrift world are way too expensive.My best luck has been the Salvation army and small church type stores. I pay around $.25 per piece. Much of it is antique, I stay away from the newer silverware, you can tell some is plated thin. One test I do is rub my finger over wore though areas if I feel a good indentation it must be plated a little thicker. I might be de-plating silverware with some antique value, but I doubt its much since they are mismatched. I'm starting to see some little pieces floating around in the solution, hurray! I'll be happy if I at least make my money back, if anything its a fun test. From what I have read on this forum making any pay backs on plated silverware is pretty hit and miss. 
I want to thank the moderators for build this site, what a plethora of knowledge. 

Andy


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## eeTHr (Jan 27, 2011)

Does anyone know what the iodine is actually dissolving?

I mean, it seems like if it was dissolving silver, there would not be pieces of plating floating in the solution.

Unless it's dissolving the silver that is closest to the base metal, first. But why would it do that? And how does it get _underneath _the silver to do it?

If the base metal is cementing dissolved silver, why doesn't it fall to the bottom as powder, instead of floating like foils?

:?:


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## greatgems (Jan 27, 2011)

i think it is only dissolving it for short period of time then appears on bottom larger prices i find the iodine brakes allot loose from the base metal and does it with out dangerous levels of chemicals gas and mess.


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## heartlander27 (Jan 27, 2011)

The plating in my batch is coming off well. So far it has settled to the bottom. All of it is breaking down into tiny pieces, it looks like a grey sludge. The amount of silver coming off the silverware dosent look like much.
I dont know if coffee filters will capture all the silver. Looks like I may need to do some more research.

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=7967&p=74390&hilit=iodine+leach#p74457


I added a link from another post, with lots of great info


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## heartlander27 (Jan 27, 2011)

One more thing. The base metal is silver in apperance, Im guessing it is "Nickel Silver Alloy". Copper,zinc,nickel alloy, does anyone know what the scrap value is for this alloy? It might be stainless steel too, but Im leaning toward the other. Is there any sure fire (easy) ways to determine what the alloy is?


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## eeTHr (Jan 28, 2011)

heartlander---

I would recommend not putting values into a filter. Instead, decant the solution by siphoning it off into another container. Rinse the powder values with a little water, siphon again, until water is clear. Then siphon off the last water, and refine your silver or gold.

Powders will always leave some stuck in the filter, then you have to save them up and incinerate them later, to get those PMs back.

Try to only filter pregnant solutions, that way what's left in the filter is usually just garbage. Follow it with water or HCl, or whatever is appropriate for the solution, to wash it all through the filter and not lose any values.

P.S. _Don't_ start the siphon by sucking on the tubing. Use a turkey baster to start it. Or fill the tubing with water, put your finger on one end of the tubing and put the other end into the receiving container, then take your finger off the top end just before you put it into the solution. The top of the receiving container should be lower than the bottom of the solution container. You can also make the transfer with just a turkey baster, if you don't have any tubing around, but you have to keep the two containers close together because a baster drips a lot. Also if it drips in the powders container, it can unsettle them. You can also just pour the solution into the other container, but that can unsettle your powders also.


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## Irons (Jan 28, 2011)

Making your own tincture of Iodine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tincture_of_iodine

USP formulas

USP Tincture of Iodine is defined in the U.S. National Formulary (NF) as containing in each 100 mL, 1.8 to 2.2 grams of elemental iodine, and 2.1 to 2.6 grams of sodium iodide. Alcohol is 50 ml and the balance is purified water. This "2% free iodine" solution provides about one mg of free iodine per drop.

USP Strong Iodine Tincture is defined in the NF as containing in each 100 mL, 6.8 to 7.5 gram of iodine, and 4.7 to 5.5 gram of potassium iodide. Purified water is 50 mL and the balance is alcohol. This 7% tincture solution is about 3.5 times more concentrated than USP 2% tincture.

You can purchase up to 250 grams of elemental Iodine on Fleabay at one time.
Sodium and Potassium Iodide are available in any quantity.

If you decide to use this process on a larger scale, you may find it cheaper to mix your own.


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## eeTHr (Jan 28, 2011)

Irons---

I read Dr. William's online _Basement Chemistry for Prospectors _a while back, but somehow I got the impression that iodine dissolved only the gold. So now I see it dissolves silver, too.

Do you know what else it dissolves?


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## heartlander27 (Jan 30, 2011)

Here is how I plan to recover. Feel free to tell me what is missing. I have read the post from HAuC14 a couple times. Being a layman it took me awhile to decipher what he was saying. Here are the steps I want to take according to the post I read.

1. Remove and rinse silverware from the solution.
2. Add lye to turn iodine solution into sodium iodide. This should turn the solution clear and drop all silver out of the solution, silver will then be concentrated on the bottom of the container and ready to filter. 
3. Filter sodium iodide solution through fine filter. Leaving silver in the filter.
4. Take the silver free sodium iodide solution and add Clorox bleach. This will oxidize the solution and return it to its elemental form for storage. 
5. Melt silver into little button, the melted silver button will be less than 999 fine. 
6. Repeat process until I am a wealthy man :lol: 


Andy


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## Jimmi_p (Feb 13, 2011)

nickel silver sells at the same price as yellow brass. $1.90 or so. I haven't sold any in over a month though.


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## Pilgrim2850 (Feb 24, 2011)

heartlander,

Have you tried the method that you posted and did it work?

larry


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## greatgems (Feb 24, 2011)

i works well and has worked well second time just make sure when you melt the gold or silver your clear of the furnace as the smoke contains iodine fumes.


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## texan (Feb 25, 2011)

heartlander27 said:


> I started my test too. $7.00 for 8oz iodine at wally world. I'm stripping plated silverware bought from various thrift stores. Im finding out that stores like Goodwill and Thrift world are way too expensive.My best luck has been the Salvation army and small church type stores. I pay around $.25 per piece. Much of it is antique, I stay away from the newer silverware, you can tell some is plated thin. One test I do is rub my finger over wore though areas if I feel a good indentation it must be plated a little thicker. I might be de-plating silverware with some antique value, but I doubt its much since they are mismatched. I'm starting to see some little pieces floating around in the solution, hurray! I'll be happy if I at least make my money back, if anything its a fun test. From what I have read on this forum making any pay backs on plated silverware is pretty hit and miss.
> I want to thank the moderators for build this site, what a plethora of knowledge.
> 
> Andy



Please do not strip any silver flatware that has a railroad or hotel name on it. It can be worth a bunch to a collector of that type. This is a rare example I know but but once I bought a spoon with the name "Sunbeam" on it for 2 bucks and sold it several years later for $300 or so. The lady I got it from thought it was from the Sunbeam Toaster Company....wrong...it was from the named Southern Pacific train the "Sunbeam." Some of the flatware has Southern Pacific on the back and some does not....I have found 3 pieces of Sunbeam flatware in junk boxes of silver plate in the last 30 years....If you find a coffee pot with the SP Sunbeam logo on it...you just made a down payment on a new car.

Texan


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## Drewbie (Feb 25, 2011)

Yes. As a rule always google a description of the item before you hit it with acid or flame in case it's actually worth a lot more than melt value.


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## chrisp (Feb 25, 2011)

with this procedure can you use tap water or must you use distilled water


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## Lonnie (Feb 27, 2011)

Very interesting I'm sure glad you posted this . Please keep us updated on this I'm very interested in what your doing here . It may just be a process I'm looking for . 







I just wonder if it might work on some interesting material I've been hanging onto . I'm thinking the solder just might be more value than the silver contacts . It sure has to get hot to turn them loose and has a nice color to it . I'm thinking your iodide process is well worth a few of my own test .






I have lots of heavy copper ( electrical copper ) with a thick coating of silver . Stuff made back when gold and silver was very cheap ( 1920's ) as compared to todays methods of doing things . I'm thinking this leaching with iodide may just be one of the answers I'm seeking . 






Some of these silver plated chunks weigh 9 pounds , some weigh 3 pounds and many weigh 3 to 4 ounces . This iodide could be done in a vat big enough to hold 100 pounds of this copper . Some questions I have concerning ebay and this 250 grams of pure iodide stuff . 

1) do you have to mix alcohol with it or would water and the iodide work by itself ?? 

2 ) I wonder how much of that pure stuff it would take to make say 20 gallons of leach ?? 

3) Have you melted any of the silver / gold yet ?? 

Thanks again for posting this thread very interesting and I sure hope you have great results using it . Please keep us informed with your results especially concerning melting the silver . 

Lonnie


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## bwcbob (Feb 27, 2011)

I found Povidone-10% 32 oz here http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16433

Bob


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## Lonnie (Feb 27, 2011)

Bob 

Thanks for the link I wonder what a Qt of that would cost ?? I haven't looked yet simply because this slow as can be computer and dial up connection I have here . But I'm betting it would be much cheaper to buy the pure stuff on ebay ( 250) grams and mix your own . For an experiment a small bottle would be approprate to purchase before spending 20 bucks plus shipping for the ebay stuff .

If it worked on the plating , solder or both then buy the pure stuff and mix it myself . Some of these heavior pieces have a rectangle section about an inch thick , then about 3 inch wide and about 6 inches long . Then about mid ways it has about a 1.25 inch dia hole drilled and has a round rod / shaft like thing soldered into it thats about 12 to 14 inches long . Point being is they bulky and would take a big tub or vat to get many of them in the thing . 

It's hard to desolder and even remove the contacts using torches simply because the heat transfers from the contact site through the rest of it so breaking them down to fit in a smaller tub is very hard . I've been cutting some of them with an electric metal cutting saw from time to time so I can sweat the contacts off so I can sell the copper . Them 16 little chunks with the small; contacts were cut off last night and early this morning freeing up about 40 pounds of copper so I could sell it . Now that those are in that small of a chunk I'll be able to desolder and remove those contacts easy with my torches . 

I could cut them off or more less heat and blow them off with my torch . But you loose half of it and it makes a mess of them . Now that those just have a couple ounce of copper attatched to them they will slip off fairly fast with torches . The pieces with the plating and the parts that I call fingers are the ones I'm really interested in using the iodide process on . Their the ones with the nice colored solder most of the other chunks appears to be a silver solder . I assume it's silver because of the amount of heat it takes to remove them even if they only attatched to a small chunk of copper . It's certainly not lead / tin solder .

Anyhow thanks for the link I will check it out . 

Lonnie


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## bwcbob (Feb 27, 2011)

Lonnie said:


> Bob
> 
> Thanks for the link I wonder what a Qt of that would cost ?? I haven't looked yet simply because this slow as can be computer and dial up connection I have here . But I'm betting it would be much cheaper to buy the pure stuff on ebay ( 250) grams and mix your own . For an experiment a small bottle would be approprate to purchase before spending 20 bucks plus shipping for the ebay stuff .
> 
> ...




Lonnie

Sorry I didn't post the cost --> $ 7.19 per 32 oz. I bought 2 bottles for about $ 21.00 shipped to the US (shipping was$5.99) . I calculate approx 950 ml per bottle will get you about 5 gal. of working solution, or about 10 gallons of solution for about the 250 gram ebay mix your own price, less the 20 bucks shipping they charge on Ebay


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## poet (Feb 28, 2011)

$12.98/Gallon of Povidone Iodine. Free Shipping. http://www.amazon.com/Povidone-Iodine-Gallon-Surgical-Scrub/dp/B00061MWLI

I bought some not long ago. Hope this helps!


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## etack (Mar 1, 2011)

buy the Potassium iodide on e-bay and make your own iodine crystals Potassium iodide is 76.4% iodine by weight(according to Wikipedia) add water and bleach and you have iodine. it is cheaper and shipping is free. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270648051689&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_iodide


Eric


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## Irons (Mar 1, 2011)

etack said:


> buy the Potassium iodide on e-bay and make your own iodine crystals Potassium iodide is 76.4% iodine by weight(according to Wikipedia) add water and bleach and you have iodine. it is cheaper and shipping is free.
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270648051689&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
> 
> ...


Here's a great video on how to make Iodine from Iodide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFP7fYGrFRI


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## Drewbie (Mar 1, 2011)

This isn't really a "leaching" process is it? Considering the target metal is falling to the bottom of the container?

Leaching would imply the need to recover the metal out of the leach solution afterwards?


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## TheGarbageManCan (Mar 5, 2011)

Hello all.

So if one only had pure elemental iodine crystals, the procedure for making a 10% iodine tincture is to add 5,5g potassium iodide to 100ml. water. Then desolve 7,5g. of iodine crystals?

Then delute with water 1:10, PH adjust to 4 with hydrocloric acid and you have a leaching solution.? 
Or have i misunderstand?


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## seawolf (Mar 23, 2011)

Greatgems, do you have an update on the silver stripping? 
Mark


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## texan (Mar 23, 2011)

Stuff made back when gold and silver was very cheap ( 1920's ) as compared to todays methods of doing things . I'm thinking this leaching with iodide may just be one of the answers I'm seeking . 

Yes gold and silver cost less in the 1920's...but you could also buy a burger for a nickle...gasoline was 18 cents and you could buy a car for under $500. All things are relative.

Texan


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## greatgems (Mar 25, 2011)

It works very well even better on gold playing


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## joem (Mar 25, 2011)

greatgems said:


> It works very well even better on gold playing



gold playing?


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## greatgems (Mar 26, 2011)

Plating sorry I phone auto correct


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## joem (Mar 26, 2011)

greatgems said:


> Plating sorry I phone auto correct



no worries I'm just plating ur um ...Playing with you


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## heartlander27 (Mar 30, 2011)

It's been awhile. I have been partially successful with the stripping of material. I bought some iodine crystals but have had a hard time getting the solution to turn into the red-brown solution. I'm not sure if the Clorox is a strong enough oxidizer, maybe I need chlorine??? Any one know?

Also, I have checked all my silverware items, actually I sold some for $25 dollars which covered the cost of the ones I stripped. 

Andy


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## etack (Mar 31, 2011)

if you were to add your crystal iodine into a solution of KI it will go right into solution you will be making Lugol's solution 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugol%27s_iodine


Eric


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## ausnip (Jul 21, 2011)

The definitive Iodine/Iodide method is described in the Hormick patent, US Patent 3957505. Links to this exist on the forum.

As stated above you can buy Potassium Iodide and mix your own solutions. Hydrogen Peroxide works much better than Bleach 
to make iodine from the dissolved Iodide.

Using Potassium or sodium hydroxide to precipitate your gold or silver creates hydroxides rather than metal, besides it also contains a lot of iodine. They are a bitch to filter. Converting hydroxides to metal also introduces another possibility of losses. The patent provides several options for precipitation, use any of the others.

Pay close attention to the use of a buffer compound. I learned this the hard way as I used a regenerated solution several times. Even at a PH of about 4 I was getting hydroxides to drop out during the leaching process. This was mostly a nuisance with what I was leaching but would have been a serious problem if you were leaching an ore or any ground up items.

A properly set up leach solution including an air bubbler should strip normal plating in a few hours or less. I was able to do this sometimes, but also experienced longer leach times. If I were to get back to this I would want to figure out how to determine and monitor the iodine and iodide percentages in the leach solution.


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## AztekShine (Apr 2, 2012)

Is any body still doing this?

If so, why?


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## goldaa (Apr 7, 2012)

Still using iodine an it works verry good. 1 qt vinagar small amount of salt 1/2 shot of iodine from feed store. swirle in gold pan till the gold is dissolved then filter thru three coffee filters pre weted the solution from the filter add some ascorbic acid and waite for the gold to drop maby over night to get a full drop. of black powder. ascorbic acid 1/2 tesp dissolved in pint of water. Have fun. about a shot of the ascorbic


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