making nitric acid

hi guys i have run out of nitric i dont use very much nitric but i need some to finish a small batch of gold i been working on for several yrs. i have found some fert. its anylsis is 49-o-o nitrogen will this make nitric and if so how do i do it . any info. would be appreciated thanks J Cook

Would that be "ammonium nitrate"?
Randy

all it said is nitrogen

That sounds like the Nitrogen content of Urea.

will it work to make nitric if it is urea or does it have to be nitrate

This could be interesting..........I would like to know also.....hmmmmm

Irons?

You will need to have a nitrate to make nitric acid, or a source of NOx.

Sodium Nitrate is what you want (16-0-0), but there are other nitrates that will work also.

Steve

If anyone is interested (and it's allowed in the forum), I have a recipe for making potassium nitrate from organic rich soil. Which then can be used with concentrated sulfuric acid to produce nitric acid in equal volume to the KNO3 used.

Now that I think about it, is there a place here with guidlines of what is NOT to be posted on the forum?

I don't think there would be any problems concerning posting your technique. Unless it contains offensive language...

Also, try not to post formulas for explosives (there are other forums that deal with that kind of stuff).

Granted, there are certain chemical reactions that may end up being explosive, but they don't have to be listed as such.

Shaul

Shaul said:

Also, try not to post formulas for explosives (there are other forums that deal with that kind of stuff).

Granted, there are certain chemical reactions that may end up being explosive, but they don't have to be listed as such.

Shaul

Click to expand...

I think that in such an instance, a cautionary note should be provided. Many of the readers (myself included) do not have a working knowledge of chemistry----and may not understand the ramifications of following a procedure that has the potential to be dangerous. Such a notice could well save a person from tragedy.

What might be important is to not dwell on the hazard---but on the value of the given process. I fully agree-----this forum should not be the source of information for those intent on making explosives.

Harold

Ok guys I have located some sodium nitrate now I need to know how to make nitric. I have been using nitric for 25 yrs. or more A couple chemists taught me how to use it saftely and also sold it to me. I lost cont. with them . and dont have a source any more. also I dont use aqua regia either too dangerous for me . Also I have a source for furnaces and fluxes practicly anything but acids . I would be glad to swap info. with yall thanks a lot Jcook 13

J,

The recipe is in guided tour link in my signature line.

Here's link also:

Nitirc Acid Recipe

The link above points to a recipe which allows you to use the cheaper calcium nitrate to recycle your sodium nitrate. If you are using sodium nitrate just follow the first part of the reaction.

Steve

I have been giving this info away for free on ebay for years

1 cup sodium nitrate to 1 quart sulfuric acid. Pre-dissolve the nitrate into 16 ounces of hot distilled water and then add it to your sulfuric acid. Once mixed, you have nitric acid that can be used as is or distilled to 70% nitric

Dr Charles
phd in chemistry

DR-

Does your formula require concentrated sulphuric acid?

I have been making nitric for awhile now using concentrated sulphuric acid and a saturated solution of sodium nitrate and water. Since I use a fair amount of this acid, my recipe for volume is 2000 ml of distilled water, 3.4 kilograms of sodium nitrate, and 1120 ml of 98% sulphuric acid. Heat the water to boiling to dissolve all the sodium nitrate. Dump the solution into a clean 5 gallon bucket, let it cool just a little. Use a large stirring paddle. YOU HAVE TO PUT THE FIRST 50 TO 100 ML OF SULPHURIC ACID IN A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME!! Otherwise the stuff will boil over. Stir constantly! If it foams a lot, spray it down with a spray bottle with cold water. Once you have some of the sulphuric in, it settles down and you can pour the rest in slowly, stirring constantly. This process outgases, so be outside or ventilation! I let the solution cool in the bucket, most of the salts drop out. Then I pour the solution into beakers or glass coffee pots, and put into the freezer overnight. Then pour into containers while cold, but not the salt.

I am considering taking nitric production to the next level. The nitric produced by a saturated solution of sodium nitrate and concentrated sulphuric acid produces a theoretical 50% nitric acid. The problem I see after using this acid is there are still substantial salts in the solution, and the performance of this grade of acid is not adequate for some processes. The fix for this is purifying the nitric acid/salts is through distillation, leaving the salts behind in the evaporation flask. I don’t currently have a condenser, but would like to get set up to make full strength material.

I welcome your advice on an effective procedure/equipment for distillation of nitric acid. I have a fume hood and a water chiller to operate a condenser.

Thank you!

John

John,
You could filter your nitric acid using a medium speed filter to get rid of the salts...

John,

How cold is the freezer getting?

The lower the temperature the more salts that you will get out. I recommend -5C in the recipe, but colder would be better.


Steve

Hi Steve!

I leave the solution in the freezer overnight, it is about -15 C.

I am happy with the way the nitric works for digesting base metals, usually adding a balance of water to improve the efficiency of the reaction (less brown gas). I heat it up to kick off the reaction.

I am starting to refine placer material, the bulk of what I'll be processing is from one particular client, it is around 920 with just a trace of silver. I would like to run this material in a "true AR", for I understand the dissolution power using 70% nitric is unmatched. If this isn't true, or the advantages of 70% does not justify the distillation, then I would like to know.

Tech grade nitric is expensive compared to homemade, difficult to obtain, and only reasonable in cost if you purchase a 55 gallon drum. A significant cash outlay! Not to mention the flags that go up, inviting attention from a multipicity of regulatory agencies.

Also, anybody out there have a good process for placer gold with black sands, I welcome your comments!

Thanks, guys, for your input!

John

Noxx said:

John,
You could filter your nitric acid using a medium speed filter to get rid of the salts...

Click to expand...

What concentration are we talking? 70% will begin to eat away at filter paper fairly fast.


To make real quality nitric acid you need a glass distillation setup with a condenser and a hotplate and even an aspirator/vacuum pump.

Once you got that the rest is easy.


Check here for more info
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=2176

I have just today come across a guy i.e. refiner who uses only AR. Now this guy has told me where he get Nitric for say aprox $100.00 for five gallons. I do hope to see this supplier on Thursday. I will let you know send me a list of chemicals you may need and I will ask...


Ray