# please help



## aggemologist (Sep 26, 2016)

I am new in this forum. I am so enthusiast to analysis the precious metals from scraps. Before some days I found some converter and treated with aqua regia when tested with sncl2 , got the yellowish orange result. One is bright color and one is dull color. When treated in tested tube with zinc with precipitate found. 

I think its Platinum . 

Please help me that am I right.

with best regards

HUK


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## FrugalRefiner (Sep 26, 2016)

Yes, most automobile catalytic converters contain platinum, and perhaps palladium and/or rhodium. Most members here have learned not to try to refine them with wet chemical methods. You can not get all the metals with wet chemistry, so it's usually more profitable to sell them. Also, PGMs are very toxic when dissolved into acid solutions. Few members are properly equipped to handle them safely.

Dave


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## aggemologist (Sep 28, 2016)

Hi folks, my first batch of pgms platinum contains solutions converted into precipitated with Zn powder. the solution is black wait for it till morning. In the morning I will filter it.


If any one know the best method of precipitated of Pt. other then Zn then please share with me.



with best regards 

HUK


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## Refining Rick (Sep 28, 2016)

Gloves man, gloves. PM salts are absorbed through the skin and any small cut or abrasion.

Sal Ammoniac (sp?) otherwise know as Ammonium chloride to drop salts. Roast out the chloride and melt with an oxy-fuel torch. That is a short short version. It is all in Hoke's book, in the library section of this forum.

If I recall correctly, after dropping with zinc if the solution is left sitting over the sediment it will dissolve again.


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## 4metals (Sep 28, 2016)

Platinum will drop from Aqua Regia after you kill off the free nitric by adding ammonium chloride. It will come down as a salt (red to yellow in color) and must be reduced to a metal before melting.


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## Smack (Sep 28, 2016)

I hate how people don't even acknowledge the warnings from others.


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## anachronism (Sep 28, 2016)

Smack said:


> I hate how people don't even acknowledge the warnings from others.



You can lead a horse to water but.....


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## Topher_osAUrus (Sep 28, 2016)

Yah, smack, I do too...

It gets to me, because how many of these people are the ones that never return? And why??...

There was a local guy who did not heed warnings about pgms, and now, I havent heard from him in a couple weeks... I hope he is okay and just got a new job and is busy.. But, this stuff is wicked.

Science is great, and amazing...but she is very unforgiving..


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## aggemologist (Sep 28, 2016)

Thank you so much for given safety tips and analysis tips . I will fellow them.

with regards

HUK


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## nickvc (Sep 29, 2016)

Unless you have proper equipment such as a fume hood with good extraction and a good scrubbing system you are putting yourself and others at risk, you need to wear good quality chemical resistant gloves and preferably a decent long sleeved apron too.
The refining of catalytic convertors by wet chemistry is a losing proposition as you will never leach all the values out and you are left with a lot of toxic waste from the honeycomb as well as dealing with the toxic salts from what values you have dissolved.
PGMs are very toxic when in the form of a salt and the real problem is the effects on you and others is cumulative, please exercise extreme caution if you intend to continue and read all the relevant safety threads!


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## aggemologist (Sep 30, 2016)

Hello folk, today filter the PGMs group element which are I treat with Zn but the filter solution is still smokey color (yellowish brown type). I put some solution in test tube and add so NaHCO3. so precipitated formed.

What are these precipitated. please guide me . 


with regards


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## anachronism (Sep 30, 2016)

From your pictures it looks like you're refining in your kitchen in a flat. 

If that's the case you need to change what you're doing quickly.


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## nickvc (Sep 30, 2016)

anachronism said:


> From your pictures it looks like you're refining in your kitchen in a flat.
> 
> If that's the case you need to change what you're doing quickly.




I fear he will not listen to you or anyone else, precious metal fever is in full flow :shock: :evil:


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## aggemologist (Sep 30, 2016)

Sir Its not a flat . Its separate big hall and far from the people residency. 

with regards 

HUK


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## Topher_osAUrus (Sep 30, 2016)

Does it have anything metal around?.... If so, it's going to rust quickly. 
Do you have a fume hood? If not, the volatized pgm salts will contaminate the area.

Have you read the MSDS for these pgm salts you are dealing with? They are pretty intense...


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## aggemologist (Sep 30, 2016)

yes I noticed that some metals which are near to the solution are rusty so quickly. please recommend the quick action to safe the atmosphere and myself.


with regards


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## FrugalRefiner (Sep 30, 2016)

Stop what you're doing until you have a safe place to process.

Dave


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## Topher_osAUrus (Sep 30, 2016)

Dave summed it up well.

Fume hood.


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## aggemologist (Sep 30, 2016)

Ok agreed

with best regards


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## FrugalRefiner (Sep 30, 2016)

As you've learned, the acids needed to dissolve these "noble" metals are very aggressive. They will quickly destroy lesser metals like steel.

The only safe way to refine is in a dedicated space, completely separate from any living space. The space should be constructed of materials that are protected from the actions of these chemicals. All processes should be performed in a fume hood, which will constantly draw in fresh air and exhaust any fumes out of the refining area. The fumes should go through a scrubber which will neutralize them and make them safe to exhaust into the atmosphere.

This is particularly important when you are dealing with the platinum group metals, as their salts (the dissolved metals) are themselves quite toxic.

I hope I've given you enough terms to get you on your way to searching out the information you need. Much of it will be in the Safety section of the forum. If you don't find what you need there, try using the search function with any of the terms I've mentioned.

Good luck,
Dave


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## NobleMetalsRecovery (Oct 4, 2016)

Thank you to those who pointed out the issue of toxic PGM salts.

When will I unwittingly run into PGM's when recovering gold from electronic scrap?

Only planing on doing memory, fingers, and CPU's for now.

If refining CPU chips, is there a possibility of there being some palladium in the solder on the legs?


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## patnor1011 (Oct 4, 2016)

No, not in the legs however Pd can be found in multi-layered ceramic capacitors on CPU.

* I have to edit my reply. I thought you meant solder where IC is connected to board. 
Actually Pd can be found in many IC inside where it is used in AgPd brazing I had package of I think 500 IC where it said on package that AgPd brazing used inside body of IC. I have no doubt that there are zillions of different types which contain Pd.


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## upcyclist (Oct 7, 2016)

Noble Metals Recovery said:


> Thank you to those who pointed out the issue of toxic PGM salts.
> 
> When will I unwittingly run into PGM's when recovering gold from electronic scrap?
> 
> ...


That's actually a two-part question, the second part being "and how do I deal with it?"

Your safest bet is to assume any e-scrap may contain PGMs and conduct yourself accordingly. Also, when PGMs are dissolved in acids/AR, the easiest way to deal with them is to cement them with copper in your stockpot and deal with it later. As we discussed in another thread, for some of us that actually means "and build up enough to have Lou deal with it later" hahaha.


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