# Can this mixed acid be used to refine silver?



## ssharktu17 (Feb 24, 2022)

Hello can anyone tell me if it would be possible to use this acid to refine silver?


----------



## Abdoulapapatte (Feb 24, 2022)

for nitric of course he can =) 
but it's mixe ? don't use if you don't know


----------



## ssharktu17 (Feb 24, 2022)

Abdoulapapatte said:


> for nitric of course he can =)
> but it's mixe ? don't use if you don't know


Yes but how lol. Can I use it straight up?


----------



## justinhcase (Feb 24, 2022)

Methanesulfonic acid - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org




What in tarnation?


----------



## ssharktu17 (Feb 24, 2022)

justinhcase said:


> Methanesulfonic acid - Wikipedia
> 
> 
> 
> ...


??? This acid is a branded as a cleaning product and i can get it readily cheap. Cant get Nitric straight here.


----------



## justinhcase (Feb 24, 2022)

ssharktu17 said:


> ???


Why would you have a nitric stock contaminated with that?


----------



## Gwar (Feb 24, 2022)

You get what you pay for..


----------



## snail (Feb 24, 2022)

I work in a tin plating plant, our plating solution is based on methanesulfonic acid. Instead of halides or phenols. They abbreviate it to MSA.

Supposed to be relatively easy to get through waste treatment cleanly. 

Modern “greener” alternative chemistry.


----------



## ssharktu17 (Feb 24, 2022)

snail said:


> I work in a tin plating plant, our plating solution is based on methanesulfonic acid. Instead of halides or phenols. They abbreviate it to MSA.
> 
> Supposed to be relatively easy to get through waste treatment cleanly.
> 
> Modern “greener” alternative chemistry.


I read a little about that! I need to figure out how to get it out of my silver now.


----------



## cryolite (Feb 25, 2022)

Methanesulfonic acid should be a harmless addition to your nitric acid. It forms a salt with silver (silver mesylate), but unlike other anions the resulting compound is soluble and won't passivate the bulk metal. Further any process you do to recover the silver metal shouldn't be complicated by the extra anion-- it's water soluble and noncoordinating so it won't form any metal complexes that could cause issues.


----------



## ssharktu17 (Feb 25, 2022)

cryolite said:


> Methanesulfonic acid should be a harmless addition to your nitric acid. It forms a salt with silver (silver mesylate), but unlike other anions the resulting compound is soluble and won't passivate the bulk metal. Further any process you do to recover the silver metal shouldn't be complicated by the extra anion-- it's water soluble and noncoordinating so it won't form any metal complexes that could cause issues.


Sounds great to me! So it would work running the standard process of dissolving and saturating out with copper to produce pure silver?


----------



## ssharktu17 (Mar 3, 2022)

Gwar said:


> You get what you pay for..


I get what I can get. Either this or start distilling myself. Might be the better option anyways.


----------



## GoIdman (Mar 4, 2022)

ssharktu17 said:


> I get what I can get. Either this or start distilling myself. Might be the better option anyways.


 What is the comercial name of this chemical and wher are you buing it? In my country is also limited by law to posess certain chemichals , and Nitric is one of them. 

Be safe.

Pete.


----------



## ssharktu17 (Mar 5, 2022)

GoIdman said:


> What is the comercial name of this chemical and wher are you buing it? In my country is also limited by law to posess certain chemichals , and Nitric is one of them.
> 
> Be safe.
> 
> Pete.


Nitric is legal here in the US


----------



## ssharktu17 (Mar 5, 2022)

I guess I could just use this acid to refine silver from sterling and 80% and then run it through the silver cell after to take out any impurities. Sounds like a plan.


----------

