Retorting/gold/silver amalgamation

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Sheilareid

New member
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Messages
3
I retorted impregnated mercury for the first time,I now have a clump of gold and silver amalgamation.how do I desperate them?
 
Sheilareid said:
I retorted impregnated mercury for the first time,I now have a clump of gold and silver amalgamation.how do I desperate them?

If you retorted it you should have split the amlagum into mercury and a mix of gold/silver.

How come you still have mercury mixed? Can you show us the retort you used?

I'm sure plenty of people will be along to tell you how you shouldn't be doing this but let's fix your problem too.
 
So, retorting basically boils off the Mercury (which you hopefully condensed and collected), so it sounds like you are saying you now have a clumpy mixture of Gold and Silver.

The simplest solution is to add some more silver (melt) to ensure that Gold only makes up 25% max of the mixture, then use Nitric acid to separate Gold from Silver.

Bacially, you want to look at the inquartation Process.
 
Thank you for the advice.I am new to this site,and haven't figured out posting pictures yet.The retort I have is about 40 years old,but it does fine as far as recovering the mercury.but I ended up with a hard button of silver and gold when I was finished.I just inherited 24 gold claims from my dad.(1-6 ounces
per ton).He worked it for close to 40 years.i have alot to learn.
 
I incorrectly worded my original problem.The amalgam was of mercury,gold,and I assume silver.After I retorted the amalgam,I was left with a clump of...gold and ..silver? I am confused as to how I desperate the gold.
 
Just curious here and not meaning to muddy the waters but,

how sure can one be that All, and I mean All the mercury is gone after retorting?

You know, if you go to melt this clump and there is any mercury left, there it goes into the atmosphere and surrounding area.
 
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