Anyone ever have issues with "800" Italian silver!?

[Chris Coulter]

Hi everyone
I'm new to the gold refining forum and refining in general. I have a 2L distillation apparatus and I'm starting my journey with some "800" silver (supposedly Italian made)
But I get the feeling it's a heavy plating with possible tin underneath?
Does anyone have experience with this material and do you have any tips for a beginner, thanks!.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Hi everyone
I'm new to the gold refining forum and refining in general. I have a 2L distillation apparatus and I'm starting my journey with some "800" silver (supposedly Italian made)
But I get the feeling it's a heavy plating with possible tin underneath?
Does anyone have experience with this material and do you have any tips for a beginner, thanks!.

Welcome to us.
What are you going to use the distillation apparatus for?

 

[Martijn]

Hi everyone
I'm new to the gold refining forum and refining in general. I have a 2L distillation apparatus and I'm starting my journey with some "800" silver (supposedly Italian made)
But I get the feeling it's a heavy plating with possible tin underneath?
Does anyone have experience with this material and do you have any tips for a beginner, thanks!.

I have a set of 800 "silver" and have yet to find any silver on it. i think it's fake. (mine)

 

[galenrog]

There is quite a lot of fake “Italian” silver out there. Nearly all originates outside Italy. Some of the fake stuff is heavily plated base metals. Most of the fake stuff that I have encountered is lightly plated nickel alloys.

Time for more coffee.

 

[Chris Coulter]

Welcome to us.
What are you going to use the distillation apparatus for?

To reclaim the nitric acid for reuse

 

[Chris Coulter]

There is quite a lot of fake “Italian” silver out there. Nearly all originates outside Italy. Some of the fake stuff is heavily plated base metals. Most of the fake stuff that I have encountered is lightly plated nickel alloys.

Time for more coffee.

I believe it is a heavily plated zinc. My nitrate solution was quite cloudy not the turquoise that's indicative of copper nitrate.

 

[Yggdrasil]

To reclaim the nitric acid for reuse

If you use the Chloride method by salt you can reuse it a few times.
Destilling Nitric needs proper fumehood and safety measures.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I believe it is a heavily plated zinc. My nitrate solution was quite cloudy not the turquoise that's indicative of copper nitrate.

Have you tested with a few grains of Salt after filtering it?
Filter it well.
Take a ml or two in a small container and drop in a few grains of Salt.

Edited to add some text

 

[4metals]

I have clients who have seen it both ways, some of it is truly 800 parts Silver to 20 parts Copper but some is electroplated base metal. However both stamped 800.

This is part of the reason refiners melt and assay before paying on material. Stamps are nice and convenient but an assay scale never lies.

 

[Chris Coulter]

If you use the Chloride method by salt you can reuse it a few times.
Destilling Nitric needs proper fumehood and safety measures.

I'm using a fume hood and respirator.
The distillation apparatus keeps everything contained and converts the nitrogen dioxide back into Nitric acid. I have yet to try the chloride method lol

 

[Yggdrasil]

I'm using a fume hood and respirator.
The distillation apparatus keeps everything contained and converts the nitrogen dioxide back into Nitric acid. I have yet to try the chloride method lol

Respirators do not work for NOx.
Well some do for a litt time.
But they last just a short time after opening the cartridges.

 

[Chris Coulter]

Respirators do not work for NOx.
Well some do for a litt time.
But they last just a short time after opening the cartridges.

Good to know! Luckily almost all of my NOx is contained within the distillation apparatus and is converted back into dilute Nitric acid for reuse.