AP solution gone thick

[piccolim]

I have been using the same AP solution for some time now, using it only to process fingers. I usually top it up with hydrogen peroxide which seems to have been doing the trick. Since processing my latest batch of fingers the bottom quarter of the solution has become very thick. All of my previous batches the solution has remained very watery whereby it has been easy to decant the solution and retrieve the gold flakes that have accumulated. With this thick solution I am afraid that the flakes are now suspended in this thick solution. I added a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to which the solution reacted by fizzing quite violently. Is it possible that my solution has been saturated with copper and that is the reason for it going thick on me?
I assumed that by adding either HCL or hydrogen peroxide that I could thin down the solution to a point to where I would be able to retrieve the gold flakes. Or should I be thinking on a different line of thought. Also would I be right in assuming that I would be able to continue using the AP solution on future batches of fingers. If this assumption is on the right track I guess I should be thinking of trying to drop out the copper.
Before getting to far ahead of myself I wanted to get some advice on how to properly proceed. Any of which will be greatly appreciate it.

thanks
Mike

 

[butcher]

Go to Laser Steve's web site, study the document on the copper II chloride leach. I could tell you about it but that document will explain it better.

No need to cement out the copper if you will reuse the solution, it is copper in the solution that makes it work, when you are ready to discard the solution you can cement out the copper using iron and then treating the iron chloride as waste, see dealing with waste in the safety section for details.

 

[glorycloud]

I normally never add H2O2 to the AP solution. I do add HCL from time to time.
You can bubble air through the AP and "rejuvenate" it as well. I normally just
let it sit between batches and I normally come back to an emerald green
AP solution ready to put Au fingers in. 8)