copper ore with gold an silver

[goldaa]

posted in mining but no responce

 

[Anonymous]

running a cell with hypo on the ore finnley ground up. carbon block for cathode an teracotta pot with steel wool on the anode at 6 volts. the wool is all black now. should I just dry it and cook it with borax and some iron. or should i wash it with muratic?

Where did you get the idea to cook it with iron? If it is in fact gold,you will need to remove any base metals first.But I would test it first to make sure it is not iron oxide.if it test positive,then I would dissolve the steel wool in Hcl,filter,and continue with A/C.

 

[Dr. Poe]

Like you, I posted this twice:
Dry it, put in a crucible with no flux, heat it to burn off all the sulfides and thiosulfates. (Beware the sparks when the iron ignites!) Then (wearing a hot glove, face shield, and using a long metal spoon) add borax (anhy) and soda ash.
Bring up the temperature to white heat and leave it there until the melt is "quiet". Pour into a mold preslickened with a mold release, cool and break off the glassy slag (wear eye protection!). Don't be upset if the bar that you pour is green or blue. Remelt and pour into shot (water). Separate the silver from the gold with dilute nitric acid. Others will probably post a more detailed advise. Do not use any acid until all thiosulfate is gone, else you will have to use more steel wool to bring it back again. Dr. Poe