# how do you refine silver plate



## Anonymous (Jul 30, 2010)

Can anyone help me how can i refine silver plate have several items that i think would be worth trying. now here is my idea can you disolve everything in nitric acid then put someting in that would dissolve the copper etc. then you should be left with silver nitrate. Thanks


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## Barren Realms 007 (Jul 30, 2010)

Your nitric acid will dissolve the copper and the silver and the copper will cause the silver to drop out of solution till the copper is used up, leaving you with silver nitrate.


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## goldenchild (Jul 30, 2010)

Dissolving the whole item in nitric would be a waste of chemicals. Set up a rig where you can dip the items into a nitric bath in one container and then wash them off in another with water. Use aluminum wire to dip the item in the nitric bath and leave it in there until all the silver plate is gone. It should happen quickly. Then with a spray bottle rinse the item into the other container. Try to use as little water to rinse but be thorough. Also, only add small amounts of nitric to your dipping container's water as you go. When your'e all done combine all fluids, dissolve any remaining metal particulate, denox, and cement out the silver. This is the best way I can think to do it. Use DISTILLED water for everything. 

Have fun


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## goldsilverpro (Jul 30, 2010)

hopman said:


> Can anyone help me how can i refine silver plate have several items that i think would be worth trying. now here is my idea can you disolve everything in nitric acid then put someting in that would dissolve the copper etc. then you should be left with silver nitrate. Thanks



Forget about this if your goal is to make money. Unless the silver is extremely thick (some railroad bearings, e.g.), there's just no good profitable method. More than likely, the silver plating is worth about $.02/square inch - probably much less than 1% of the total weight.


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## Palladium (Jul 30, 2010)

goldsilverpro said:


> Unless the silver is extremely thick (some railroad bearings, e.g.)



I'm always trying to learn new sources for precious metals. Railroad bearings ???


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## philddreamer (Aug 12, 2010)

I read on one of the posts from some members that the sulphuric cell also works for de-plating silver. I haven't tried it yet, but will try it some day. 

Phil


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## jimdoc (Aug 12, 2010)

Palladium said:


> goldsilverpro said:
> 
> 
> > Unless the silver is extremely thick (some railroad bearings, e.g.)
> ...



Ralph,
I had a friend that worked on trains at Septa,and he told me that the bearings he replaced had either 1 oz or 1/2 oz of silver each.I don't know the weight or alloy of each bearing.

He never showed me any,I think the bosses kept them from getting
out.I would have liked a few to experiment with.

Jim


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