any idea what kind of metal this is

[Moses]

Hi everyone I don't know if I should post this question here or somewhere else I'm not familiar with forums and how they operate but im trying to learn, my question is what type of metal or metals these contacts are I have a lot of them but would like to know what they are made of before I start putting time into getting them off thanks everyone Moses

 

[Yggdrasil]

Hi everyone I don't know if I should post this question here or somewhere else I'm not familiar with forums and how they operate but im trying to learn, my question is what type of metal or metals these contacts are I have a lot of them but would like to know what they are made of before I start putting time into getting them off thanks everyone Moses

It can be many things, testing it may be necessary to find out.

 

[Golddigger76]

That looks like a switchcraft switch and if so it will probably be silver contacts

 

[Martijn]

That's obviously a large piece of rusty steel. No values there.

 

[Shark]

I see what looks like a cardboard box and a rusty pair of wire cutters also.

 

[andu]

I see silver contact and coated plate of brass/bronze. Eventho im not quite sure it is electrical, as for the silver contact.
But the edges clearly show some brass where it was scratched by dragging it on the ground.

 

[anarxi]

Hi everyone I don't know if I should post this question here or somewhere else I'm not familiar with forums and how they operate but im trying to learn, my question is what type of metal or metals these contacts are I have a lot of them but would like to know what they are made of before I start putting time into getting them off thanks everyone Moses

you have nitric acid?
in any case, any scrap miner should have it !!!!
you take it, bite off the contact, throw it in acid. If the contact is made of platinum or gold, it remains intact and will shine brightly. (check the white one with a magnet - it may be a tungsten alloy),
if there is palladium in the alloy it will give a coffee color around the contact.
If this silver dissolves, then you add a pinch of salt and chloride will form.

 

[Emryst]

I have a question.does anyone know what this metal is?

I don't want to add this to aqua regia in gold foils so I have picked them out.

Little back ground where it came from. Patches of Gold filled jewelry after nitric foils and these remained. It's not magnetic. I don't want to do aqua regia on it if it's palladium or something cause I don't have the required chems to percipitate back out. It's 14.77 grams and i prolly expect more from my last patch in nitric in progress.

Any clue so I know what to do with it would be great. Thanks

Also if u have a clue how would I test it in metal form not solution to find out if your thoughts are correct?

 

[Yggdrasil]

I have a question.does anyone know what this metal is?

I don't want to add this to aqua regia in gold foils so I have picked them out.

Little back ground where it came from. Patches of Gold filled jewelry after nitric foils and these remained. It's not magnetic. I don't want to do aqua regia on it if it's palladium or something cause I don't have the required chems to percipitate back out. It's 14.77 grams and i prolly expect more from my last patch in nitric in progress.

Any clue so I know what to do with it would be great. Thanks

Also if u have a clue how would I test it in metal form not solution to find out if your thoughts are correct?

Nitric will dissolve Pd.
My guess is that it might be one of the Stainless steel classes of material as they do not dissolve or are hard to dissolve in Nitric.
They are not magnetic either.
They do dissolve in HCl though.

 

[kurtak]

Little back ground where it came from. Patches of Gold filled jewelry after nitric foils and these remained. It's not magnetic.

does anyone know what this metal is?

SS (Stainless Steel)

Nitric acid does NOT react with SS

That is why "large" volumes of nitric are shipped & stored in SS (like 15 gallon kegs or 55 gallon drums)

Kurt

 

[galenrog]

SS (Stainless Steel)

Nitric acid does NOT react with SS

That is why "large" volumes of nitric are shipped & stored in SS (like 15 gallon kegs or 55 gallon drums)

Kurt

Agreed.

 

[anarxi]

Aluminum also does not dissolve in nitric acid.
It's hard to estimate the size of your pile, but the weight of 14 grams seems small for stainless steel...

...If you can measure the volume using a volumetric flask and water, you can find out the specific gravity of your material...

 

[Emryst]

Nitric will dissolve Pd.
My guess is that it might be one of the Stainless steel classes of material as they do not dissolve or are hard to dissolve in Nitric.
They are not magnetic either.
They do dissolve in HCl though.

Thank you for the feed back.

Aluminum also does not dissolve in nitric acid.
It's hard to estimate the size of your pile, but the weight of 14 grams seems small for stainless steel...

...If you can measure the volume using a volumetric flask and water, you can find out the specific gravity of your material...

OK so update. On the last batch of jewelry a watch casing was gold plated aluminum and it came out looking the same as these others after the foil fell off in solution. So mystery solved thanks for the help.

 

[Barstool miner]

SS (Stainless Steel)

Nitric acid does NOT react with SS

That is why "large" volumes of nitric are shipped & stored in SS (like 15 gallon kegs or 55 gallon drums)

Kurt

I beg to differ with you. Dilute Nitric Does attack Stainless Steel. To save time I used to Siphon My Nitric acid from the SS container. But I filled the pipe with water to start the flow thus diluting the Nitric Acid to a point that Nitric Started leaking from the SS Container

 

[Yggdrasil]

I beg to differ with you. Dilute Nitric Does attack Stainless Steel. To save time I used to Siphon My Nitric acid from the SS container. But I filled the pipe with water to start the flow thus diluting the Nitric Acid to a point that Nitric Started leaking from the SS Container

It depends on the class of stainless.

 

[Barstool miner]

It depends on the class of stainless.

I understand there are 2 types of Stainless Steel. ( A ) Magnetic SS. ( B ) Non-magnetic SS.
The SS container that dissolved with dilute Nitric was the same one that I purchased from my Chemical supply company, I paid a $200.00 deposit on it
I used a 1/2 inch diameter clear PVC tube That I filled with Water, then I covered one end with my thumb and then the free end with the water in it was put under the surface of the Nitric in the SS container then I moved my thumb off the outside end , then the acid Siphoned out of the SS into a glass container.
Each time I did this, a little water was left behind in the SS unnoticed until the acid was diluted enough to Leach the SS metal. I wonder if someone would do the exercise to prove me Wrong.

 

[adam mizer]

It depends on the class of stainless.

Alloy of SS may be considered as "class" and temperature and if weld joints.
There are many alloys.
304 and 316 will get small pits with nitric.
There are a couple alloys that will not get a reaction but I don't think they make jugs from them.
The more Chromium in the SS the better.

Nitric acid is used in the chemical passivation of stainless steel, where it dissolves off contaminant metals from the surface of stainless steel and reinforces the oxide coat that is already there. Nitric acid should be stored in 304 grade stainless steel drums to prevent corrosion.
The 304 types are preferable to 316 types for nitric acid applications.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I understand there are 2 types of Stainless Steel. ( A ) Magnetic SS. ( B ) Non-magnetic SS.
The SS container that dissolved with dilute Nitric was the same one that I purchased from my Chemical supply company, I paid a $200.00 deposit on it
I used a 1/2 inch diameter clear PVC tube That I filled with Water, then I covered one end with my thumb and then the free end with the water in it was put under the surface of the Nitric in the SS container then I moved my thumb off the outside end , then the acid Siphoned out of the SS into a glass container.
Each time I did this, a little water was left behind in the SS unnoticed until the acid was diluted enough to Leach the SS metal. I wonder if someone would do the exercise to prove me Wrong.

You probably diluted it beyond the passification limit.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I understand there are 2 types of Stainless Steel. ( A ) Magnetic SS. ( B ) Non-magnetic SS.
The SS container that dissolved with dilute Nitric was the same one that I purchased from my Chemical supply company, I paid a $200.00 deposit on it
I used a 1/2 inch diameter clear PVC tube That I filled with Water, then I covered one end with my thumb and then the free end with the water in it was put under the surface of the Nitric in the SS container then I moved my thumb off the outside end , then the acid Siphoned out of the SS into a glass container.
Each time I did this, a little water was left behind in the SS unnoticed until the acid was diluted enough to Leach the SS metal. I wonder if someone would do the exercise to prove me Wrong.

Or there might have been a bad weld in the keg.
Anyway, it migh be better to use a pump. Manual bell pumps might be ok.