Beaker broke, lots of steam, did I just lose 1/2 Ozt?

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Chameleon 12

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Joined
Mar 15, 2022
Messages
12
Location
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First and foremost, you guys rock!
It's because of the wealth of knowledge and wisdom here that I finally found a less expensive hobby (sometimes) than flying.
Now to it.

It's cold out, 18 or so and without a working fume hood I was working outside this evening.
A first refine of 1/2 Ozt that was recovered a couple of days ago.
Dissolution via Hcl and Sodium hypochlorite. Stainless steel stockpot as a catch/sand bath (didn't want some of my corningware or porcelain subjected to that big of a thermal shock load), and I just can't believe it but the 500ml tall form pyrex beaker which contained the roughly 150ml solution broke when I set the watch glass after what would of been the last addition of bleach.
The majority of gold was in solution and I couldn't quite tell exactly but estimate as much as 2.5g had yet to go into solution.
There was A LOT of steam/converted gas as solution found it's way through the sand and made contact with the bottom of the stockpot.
I know that ionic Au values are lost by being physically "thrown" from bursting bubbles of solutions, and since I can't sleep because of this little event I've got a mind get out and hook up my smaller original exhaust fan and attempt to recover the uncertain.
Before I start this what very well could be 8 hour endeavor I was hoping one of you could give some insight as to wether or not there's possiblity the ionic Au values were trapped by the 3in thick sand bath and are infact recoverable or is this a lost cause.
I thank you in advance for any and all input.
 
First and foremost, you guys rock!
It's because of the wealth of knowledge and wisdom here that I finally found a less expensive hobby (sometimes) than flying.
Now to it.

It's cold out, 18 or so and without a working fume hood I was working outside this evening.
A first refine of 1/2 Ozt that was recovered a couple of days ago.
Dissolution via Hcl and Sodium hypochlorite. Stainless steel stockpot as a catch/sand bath (didn't want some of my corningware or porcelain subjected to that big of a thermal shock load), and I just can't believe it but the 500ml tall form pyrex beaker which contained the roughly 150ml solution broke when I set the watch glass after what would of been the last addition of bleach.
The majority of gold was in solution and I couldn't quite tell exactly but estimate as much as 2.5g had yet to go into solution.
There was A LOT of steam/converted gas as solution found it's way through the sand and made contact with the bottom of the stockpot.
I know that ionic Au values are lost by being physically "thrown" from bursting bubbles of solutions, and since I can't sleep because of this little event I've got a mind get out and hook up my smaller original exhaust fan and attempt to recover the uncertain.
Before I start this what very well could be 8 hour endeavor I was hoping one of you could give some insight as to wether or not there's possiblity the ionic Au values were trapped by the 3in thick sand bath and are infact recoverable or is this a lost cause.
I thank you in advance for any and all input.
Stainless and HCl may not be a good Idea.
Additionally you now have Gold cemented to the stainless.

Pour off all you can and gather it in a safe place until you can treat it properly.
 
Stainless and HCl may not be a good Idea.
Additionally you now have Gold cemented to the stainless.

Pour off all you can and gather it in a safe place until you can treat it properly.
I apologize if I gave the impression that I was going to use hcl in the stainless steel...I have begun the recovery IN LAB GLASS and have recovered 8g thus far, and estimate total recovery from the remaining sand bath to contain another 4-5g based on the 4 batches that have run to completion.
As stated, there was a 3" deep sand bath which caught a surprisingly large volume of solution.
My next question is, even though there's not much in the way of values cemented on to the inside of the stockpot, there are what appears to be enough that I would like to attempt a recovery but before I go with what I have read and my general knowledge I'd like other opinions/advise as to which would be the best method with emphasis on fastest and as complete as possible recovery in that order. I can always refine to achieve desired purity.
Thanks again guys and gals for your willingness to help keep people safe while we tackle the new, strange, and unusual.
 
I apologize if I gave the impression that I was going to use hcl in the stainless steel...I have begun the recovery IN LAB GLASS and have recovered 8g thus far, and estimate total recovery from the remaining sand bath to contain another 4-5g based on the 4 batches that have run to completion.
As stated, there was a 3" deep sand bath which caught a surprisingly large volume of solution.
My next question is, even though there's not much in the way of values cemented on to the inside of the stockpot, there are what appears to be enough that I would like to attempt a recovery but before I go with what I have read and my general knowledge I'd like other opinions/advise as to which would be the best method with emphasis on fastest and as complete as possible recovery in that order. I can always refine to achieve desired purity.
Thanks again guys and gals for your willingness to help keep people safe while we tackle the new, strange, and unusual.
That was not what I hinted at, but it is a strong but in many ways a bad Catch basin since the Gold will cement out on it and complicate things.
 
That was not what I hinted at, but it is a strong but in many ways a bad Catch basin since the Gold will cement out on it and complicate things.
I don't know why I didn't think about that but now I'm paying for it.. mechanical separation seems like the best option so far
 
I don't know why I didn't think about that but now I'm paying for it.. mechanical separation seems like the best option so far
Well it won't go anywhere so take your time to decide.
Maybe a fine abrasive paper will do the job, you have to rerefine anyway.
The sand is easy just hit t with HCl and wash until clean.
 
Pyrocyram, such as Corning ware will with stand the sudden shock of heat and cold very well if not scratched very bad. I have had it hot enough to see it glow in full daylight and poured ice water in them several times. I still use those pieces 6 years later. Beakers will break and crack faster than the pyrocyram will. There is a large post someplace on the forum about these dishes and well worth the read.
 
As a side note this stuff was designed around the heat shielding for the space program, I kind of think it would get hotter there than on a hot plate.
 
As a side note this stuff was designed around the heat shielding for the space program, I kind of think it would get hotter there than on a hot plate.
Funny you mentioned it, I read all about it for an hour, went to the shop and every one of my 1-2.5L dishes are pyroceram this whole time (3weeks) that my hood has been down I could of been using them.
 
Well it won't go anywhere so take your time to decide.
Maybe a fine abrasive paper will do the job, you have to rerefine anyway.
The sand is easy just hit t with HCl and wash until clean.
Here's why I went to aqua regia with the first lot.
A. I ran a magnet through the sand and got some Fe (or other magnetic minerals/pebbles pinhead size)
B. I have reason to believe there is/ was undissolved Au in the sand itself because the second batch (of 4 beakers) I ran turned up 1.3g all together and there's still noticable and distinguishable yellow hue and fine particulate which appears to be gold and If I remember correctly Hcl alone and Fe should be avoided if possible but with the addition of nitric (making aqua regia) not only am I taking care of any Fe I'm also rendering any undissolved Au into solution.. please guys correct me if I'm wrong
 
Here's why I went to aqua regia with the first lot.
A. I ran a magnet through the sand and got some Fe (or other magnetic minerals/pebbles pinhead size)
B. I have reason to believe there is/ was undissolved Au in the sand itself because the second batch (of 4 beakers) I ran turned up 1.3g all together and there's still noticable and distinguishable yellow hue and fine particulate which appears to be gold and If I remember correctly Hcl alone and Fe should be avoided if possible but with the addition of nitric (making aqua regia) not only am I taking care of any Fe I'm also rendering any undissolved Au into solution.. please guys correct me if I'm wrong
If there was metals in the sand some of the Gold will have cemented out.
So then it might be better with a long simmer in Dilute AR.
 
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