# How to Recover Gold and Palladium Particles from Carbon Mix



## dusto1 (Mar 4, 2012)

How to Recover Gold and Palladium Particles from Carbon Mix

I was told that within a mass of carbon powder there is some gold a and palladium. I would like to know the most efficient means to extract the precious metals from the mixture. How do i Do this?


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## patnor1011 (Mar 4, 2012)

dusto1 said:


> How to Recover Gold and Palladium Particles from Carbon Mix
> 
> I was told that within a mass of carbon powder there is some gold a and palladium. I would like to know the most efficient means to extract the precious metals from the mixture. How do i Do this?



You sure want to test it first, don't you?


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## goldsilverpro (Mar 4, 2012)

Slow incineration or wet ashing are about the only ways I can think of, at the moment.

What's the total weight?

What percentages are Au and Pd?

Can you tell us what experience, if any, you have in this field? How much in working with chemicals? Acids?


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## samuel-a (Mar 4, 2012)

dusto1 said:


> Gold and Palladium Particles from Carbon Mix



Are you refering to Pd/C and Au/C catalysts?
Slow inciniration as GSP stated is indeed the way to go.
If it's un-used and indeed you are looking at Pd/Au on Carbon, you could probably expect 5-10% return of metals.

If it's used, lord knows what you got there and inciniration will most definitely not remove the bulk of the trash (but will remove most of the carbon).
By then, metal return is usually around 0.5 - 2%.
You might also want to pre wash with boiling water, sometimes it may surprise you and test positive for gold, palladium and platinum.


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## dusto1 (Mar 5, 2012)

It is a large quantity of untested material, and I am doing this work based on hearsay so there could be no metals. One of my colleagues said that if i attempt to torch it the velocity of the torch could scatter the minute particles of precious metals into the air. Can I send the entire mass to the refinery and just tell them to assay and buy it if there is gold, or will they try to screw me or not be able to perform an accurate assay being that most of the mass is carbon?


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## goldsilverpro (Mar 5, 2012)

dusto1 said:


> It is a large quantity of untested material, and I am doing this work based on hearsay so there could be no metals. One of my colleagues said that if i attempt to torch it the velocity of the torch could scatter the minute particles of precious metals into the air. Can I send the entire mass to the refinery and just tell them to assay and buy it if there is gold, or will they try to screw me or not be able to perform an accurate assay being that most of the mass is carbon?


\

Unless I missed it, no one said anything about using a torch. I would use a heavy steel pan and put the heat underneath it and stir it gently, were it me. Just try a little bit first and see what happens.

I'll ask again. How much do you have? How many 5 gallon buckets full?


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## dusto1 (Mar 5, 2012)

I've got about 50 ounces and there is more where it came from. I will try what you said.. steel pan and heat underneath


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