# gold removal from porcelain



## Anonymous (Nov 4, 2009)

what would be the best way to remove 24 kt gold something from porcelain?


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## gorfman6154 (Nov 4, 2009)

There's a thread on just this subject, removing gold from china, under the category of Types of PM Scrap, on the board index, at the top of this page.
Or you, can use the excellent search feature.

Best of luck , Gorfman


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## Lino1406 (Nov 6, 2009)

HF will do that


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## butcher (Nov 7, 2009)

HF extremely dangerous, would cost alot to dissolve the glassware, it may work but also smelting with a metal collector would also, but neither of these would be wise.

muratic and bleach works, cheap, easy just read up on saftey precautions don't breath fume do under fume hood or outdoors, produces very corrosive gas which is very dangerous to breath, but much safer than HF.


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## Lino1406 (Nov 7, 2009)

No need to dissolve ALL glassware,
just enough to affect separation from
gold


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## nickvc (Nov 7, 2009)

Lino1406 said:


> HF will do that


Perhaps this forum should have a read before you join section on the real dangers (with pictures of injuries sustained) of many of the chemicals used to refine precious metals.......While many of the members are seasoned hands or professional users of chemicals, i worry that many of the newbies dont fully understand the extreme risks involved in not using chemicals with the right amount of respect and understanding. HF is not to be used in any cicumstances by amateur refiners,cyanide is i noticed almost shunned by all the leading members for the same reason in the wrong hands DEADLY.....Dont want to be a killjoy but hell the chemicals we use need great respect and a reasonable amount of knowledge before we start processing..


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## butcher (Nov 7, 2009)

killjoy you NickVC ?

or kill joey? or just injure him?

I just want to get a few cents worth of gold,

did not know these chemicals can blow my face off. or cost me that much in medical bills on a resperator for my last remaining day's of my life,

well should have read the information for begginner's, researched more, read MSDS, understand process before doing that.

I was in a hurry to get my gold and did not want to spend the time or trouble.

what the forum had a saftey section?

Joey


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## Anonymous (Nov 7, 2009)

I removed the gold from several hundred glasses and plates with just HCL and clorox outside with a tooth brush. The stuff is super thin usually 22k and washes off easier than most of the stains.

I only used 1/2 cup HCL and added chlorox when needed 1/4 tsp at a time, held the edge of the plate over the wide shallow container and brushed the gold off with the tooth brush. The cup I simply did when I added chlorox by dipping them in the solution and turning them a few times the gold would be dissolved off.

I can not remember the exact yield. But I did 175 plates of various sizes(average 3/4 sq in plated area per plate), 38 glasses(less than 1/4 sq inch per glass), 1 lamp (about 50 sq inches plated area) and one purple squirrel planter than had a fully gold plated tail (about 250 sq inches in plated area)

I am pretty sure the yield was less than 1/2 gram.

Jim


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## goldsilverpro (Nov 7, 2009)

That's about $.035/square inch, if my math is right. That would make it about 3.5 millionths of an inch thick (.09 microns), about the same as gold leaf. This is no surprise to me. I've always guessed it was about the same as gold leaf. Nice to have my guesses backed up.


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## Irons (Nov 7, 2009)

james122964 said:


> I removed the gold from several hundred glasses and plates with just HCL and clorox outside with a tooth brush. The stuff is super thin usually 22k and washes off easier than most of the stains.
> 
> I only used 1/2 cup HCL and added chlorox when needed 1/4 tsp at a time, held the edge of the plate over the wide shallow container and brushed the gold off with the tooth brush. The cup I simply did when I added chlorox by dipping them in the solution and turning them a few times the gold would be dissolved off.
> 
> ...


Have you figured out your return on labor?

Actually, this is a good lesson on worthwhile expenditure of labor. :mrgreen:


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## Lino1406 (Nov 7, 2009)

Is not that dangerous (the splashes)?


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## Anonymous (Nov 7, 2009)

Have you figured out your return on labor?

Actually, this is a good lesson on worthwhile expenditure of labor. :mrgreen:[/quote]

Hi Irons,
I only do this stuff when I can not work my trade -refrigeration - hvac - electrician.
So I do not realy count the labor, I trade it off against watching TV and just getting fat eating snacks.

I do not remember it taking long to get the gold off maybe 15 min all together. when the chlorox was fresh in the acid the gold
whiped off with just one swish and the glasses only took a secound or two each. Longest was the tail, it seemed to be thicker and was more difficult to remove.

Lino,
Rubber gloves, not bushing like a maniac, just a gentle swishing to mainly carry the chemicals to the plated area and the gold away.

Jim


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## goldsilverpro (Nov 7, 2009)

With a brush, I would most certainly wear a plastic face shield. Also, I would probably only brush away from myself.


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## Anonymous (Nov 7, 2009)

GSP
I think that would be good advice for folks out there. I however did not brush as in scrubbing more like swabbing, taking care not to splash since I know the yield would be small, no use flicking some of it off into space, and I always were at least safety glasses, the face shield if doing something that could have a vigorous reaction, high heat, or a reaction that is new to me. 

I had 3 years of chemistry, be it a 1000 years ago  , but I still retain the basics and can understand the reactions and processes when I read them.

Jim


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## Lino1406 (Nov 7, 2009)

So, I would say, danger is everywhere


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## Anonymous (Nov 7, 2009)

Lino1406 said:


> So, I would say, danger is everywhere



?

jim


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## goldsilverpro (Nov 7, 2009)

James,

My precautions weren't directed to you. I know you know what you are doing. They were directed to anybody and everybody. I do that sort of thing all the time. I didn't think you'd take it personally.


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## butcher (Nov 7, 2009)

if it keeps me from loosing my eyesight you can direct it toward me.


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## nickvc (Nov 9, 2009)

goldsilverpro said:


> James,
> 
> My precautions weren't directed to you. I know you know what you are doing. They were directed to anybody and everybody. I do that sort of thing all the time. I didn't think you'd take it personally.


Thank god someone takes the time to monitor the posts, you harold v and the others do a fantastic job in warning of the potential hazards in the processing techniques that get posted and are unsparing in your help and advice to all the members. i just hope people take heed when one of the senior members posts a warning and accepts advice that has taken may years and probably more money than most of us will ever see.


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