So for refining gold and silver ORE I understand the classic process of using lead/litharge as your collector metal and then coupling with bone ash to take and absorb the lead. Process is pretty clear as far as molten lead alloying with other PM's and then later being absorbed and leaving behind the PM's.
My question is that all my research and books only talk about the lead approach but I have seen people online talking about using silver, copper or zinc as a collector metal and I was wondering if any of you could shed more light into this? Pro's and cons or the different approaches and how they maybe compare to lead? Also any reading material or websites would be appreciated and yes I did do searches on this forum and the internet both before I posted this and couldn't find much, just a shadowy mention of other metals being used but no real meat and potatoes of the processes.
From what iv gathered on my own copper is added as a powder or fine wire and later the slag button is treated to electrolytic process to pull copper out and drop out PM's into the slime?
Silver maybe the same approach or using nitric acid to take out silver leaving the PM's?
Zinc is maybe retorted out leaving behind the PM's? Could a mercury retort on steroids do this same task just with Zinc vapor instead of mercury?
Any way just some thoughts and no real concrete info. Also would be nice to mention the cost benefit of the different approaches. I kind of suspect for the average small scale individual or company that lead my still be king?
My question is that all my research and books only talk about the lead approach but I have seen people online talking about using silver, copper or zinc as a collector metal and I was wondering if any of you could shed more light into this? Pro's and cons or the different approaches and how they maybe compare to lead? Also any reading material or websites would be appreciated and yes I did do searches on this forum and the internet both before I posted this and couldn't find much, just a shadowy mention of other metals being used but no real meat and potatoes of the processes.
From what iv gathered on my own copper is added as a powder or fine wire and later the slag button is treated to electrolytic process to pull copper out and drop out PM's into the slime?
Silver maybe the same approach or using nitric acid to take out silver leaving the PM's?
Zinc is maybe retorted out leaving behind the PM's? Could a mercury retort on steroids do this same task just with Zinc vapor instead of mercury?
Any way just some thoughts and no real concrete info. Also would be nice to mention the cost benefit of the different approaches. I kind of suspect for the average small scale individual or company that lead my still be king?