# My first batch....



## fishstick (Oct 5, 2012)

Here is a sample of what I have melted (so far) from my first batch. I processed from scrap silver (sterling, jewelry scrap, etc.). The biggest piece in the picture is 2 x 2 inches and total weight of all pieces is 147.8 gm. This should correspond to about a 3rd of what I will end up with. 

My method was to dissolve in HNO3, add non-iodine salt to precipitate AgCl. I then added pure NaOH to get to oxide and followed with Karo syrup to get to elemental silver. I then dried in beaker on hotplate to remove majority of moisture and let sit in my garage for a few days for complete drying. I then melted with my oxy/acetylene torch. 

Not sure what I will do now. I have a power source that I purchased specifically for electrolytically refining. I may just pour into molds too?


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## butcher (Oct 5, 2012)

Common go ahead and build that silver cell and make beautiful crystals. why melt it before your done, except to make anodes.

Also I wonder why you did not cement the silver from the silver nitrate solution using copper, this is so much easier than converting silver chloride, and seems like less chance of loss of silver from my point of view.


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## acpeacemaker (Oct 5, 2012)

I wondered that as well. Maybe just the learning experience?


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## fishstick (Oct 5, 2012)

butcher said:


> why melt it before your done, except to make anodes.
> 
> Also I wonder why you did not cement the silver from the silver nitrate solution using copper, this is so much easier than converting silver chloride, and seems like less chance of loss of silver from my point of view.




Well technically w/method I used I am "done". I realize electrolysis is only way to get to 99.99 but I'd ballpark I'm 99 as is....idk I could be wrong?


b/c a bottle of NaOH was $4 and a bottle of syrup was $1 and the reactions went fast.


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## MysticColby (Oct 8, 2012)

147.8 g silver would require approximately 46 g copper to cement it
copper is $3.7052 / pound
that's $0.376 worth of copper
or, as a possibility, less than 15 US pennies dated 1909-1982 :lol: (I still get these as change occasionally)
salt might be cheap, but so is copper. the difference is in it's ease of dealing with it.


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