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snowdog20

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
192
Hey Everyone,

Let me begin with a short backstory here. I have found mostly quartz ore over the years with generally modest, but fairly profitable amounts of gold. And commonly I go to an area, and collect what I deem as "suspicious" specimens.

Well last year I watched one of Chris Ralph the Pro Prospector's videos that detail the intricacies of Silver and lead ores. Subsequently I found an area I am very familiar with and spotted some that resembled some of what he was discussing. I wasn't going to do anything with them, until while being drunk in January, I checked them with a detector and it sounded. So I began processing one. In total three specimens, weighing about 34 ounces. I did some salt soaking, roasting, and thermal shock via cold water. Sure, I was seeing silver getting untarnished. At that point in January I ceased working with it. Until last Saturday, I took around 11 hours in the slow manual way to get them down to 60 to 100 mesh. At that point totaling 16.35 ounces.

I saw the cleanest mercury I've ever seen in the wild. I took the material way up to the moon, got away, and came back. Magically the Mercury disappeared.

So then I did some more processing and then this previous Monday, took the sample down to gbarefining.com at the branch in Eagle River, Alaska. I was honestly expecting between $5 - $50 in silver.

The guy used an X-ray assayer. The first time I've ever seen one in action. Well, yeah I had silver. Just under 3% in the 10 oz sample. But my brain thought it was dreaming because in AU it read just under 18%!

The guy congratulated me, but said the GBA branch in Fairbanks would have to refine due to high iron content. So I spoke with the guy there, who is actually the owner, Lee. I sent it certified and waited through today for a call regarding a check. There's an estimate to me, just to be safe of $2000 - $2800. According to the site https://gbarefining.com/sell-your-gold-the-process they will process quickly upon arrival and get it done pretty quick and then give you payout option, within 24 hours all done.
Lee St. Pierre the owner called me not until today. He slowly tells me that, "I'm sorry to inform you, that we can't process your material, it has to be a minimum of 50% by volume AU, and I would have to use a ball mill, and chemicals." It's only 17.49% gold in 9.01 ounces of very cleaned sands. Only $2800. He didn't tell me the percentage, as if I didn't already know. I immediately told him I want it returned and I promptly sent him $20. That was about 7 hours, he hasn't even sent me a tracking. Yeah I'm nervous he's a crook, but I have a complete record of the chain of events. So about twenty minutes ago, I sent an email to him and addressed the issues I'm telling this forum now. I am not naive about these things.
Anyway, I'll update on getting material back.

There's the lengthy back story. So when I get them back, assuming Mr. St. Pierre doesn't want lots of drama in his cushy life, up in Fairbanks. I need a refiner who is capable and willing to work with such percentages, lol. Because the ore came from a very public location and was dumped many decades ago. My intent is to use the proceeds to upgrade equipment to process faster. And set up a semi-permanent summer camp and acquire the ore all summer. So if you're a capable and honest refiner, I'd be happy to start talking about our options and your resume of metal refining. I will get it here (Alaska), crush to 60 - 100 mesh, and eliminate the nasties. And then send to you for finalizing the process. Hell I could work with a few refiners even. I can use FedEx to send for fast shipping or something. We can do this all summer! I am going to use a detector of course to only get the best ore. The area it's in I am intimately familiar with, in history and geologic testing detail. Thanks to the fact I met an individual ten years ago who was in the area during a major op years before and worked with the geologists surveying the minerals in the expansive area. Besides the big roadside supply at Mt. Ft. Knox, there's that area. So I have ample supply.

If anyone is interested, let's chat. I can work with more than one. I should have material back by Monday, assuming that the Fairbanks gnome returns my material unmolested. You pay shipping. About $5.00 I'll give you dimensions and you can provide label. This after I vet you and make sure you aren't running away with my stuff. I'm not paranoid, but the Fairbanks guy, I had higher expectations. It's the same company they sell gold to on the Nome Gold Rush show.

I can make the earnings very good for honest and capable refiners. If good, I'd be fine with to start say 20% cut for refiner. If first experience goes well, maybe cap at 30%. Keep in mind I'm crushing and cleaning here. So at worst you may have to crush the dry 40, or 60 mesh a little more. I'm adding pics below. The nicer gold pics are from my amateur attempt with the 4.6 grams I saved back. The material coming back, I cleaned well enough, that you can see, well I can throw any number out. 10,000 colors? The (4.6) sample is from that.

20210505_161510.jpg20210505_165922.jpg20210504_110318.jpg
 
Pardon the gold pics, there is more hiding under the black oxides. I should have used quarter for reference. It's a fat pile from 4.6 G's though.
 
First and foremost,

While technically possible to refine the material in 24 hours (or get it into assayable form), I don’t see it as realistic.

I don’t know Lee or his company but what you want done is fairly complicated and probably more involved than what he was betting on.

This to me is an example of bad expectations being set with a customer. Needs to go to a smelter and get the Fe and silica slagged off.

How much mercury did it take to get all that? Isn’t mercury like $40/lb now?
 
I would have to agree with what you said the expectation of refining 320 grams down to approximately 60 grams In 24 hours is a bit unrealistic.
I have not done business with that company yet, but I to am very cautious when sending any samples.
If you aren't aware, mercury is toxic and can be poisonous. It can soak into your skin and even be fatal. When working with mercury have a very well ventilated room And wear respirator. As well as proper safety gear.
Any suggestions on where to send materials to be cleaned? (re:lou)
I ask because I am a refiner but it seems as if even with all the tests conducted and the results proven the places you send into just want to destroy the samples and not fulfill the smelting and minting services.
It's like say whatever you want on the website but when you call and send, it's a different story...
So where would you suggest to send precius metals to be refined and minted? ??
 
Pardon the gold pics, there is more hiding under the black oxides. I should have used quarter for reference. It's a fat pile from 4.6 G's though.
I am a very capable refiner and smelter. I live in north Dakota. I have been studying and reading for 7 years now. My name is Philip Garner
 
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