Cost of refining

[vgr]

Hi,

I am new to the jewellery industry and was wondering if it would be worthwhile getting into the refining business.

It would be great if you could possibly give me an indication as to how much I could possibly charge a customer per gram to refine a bar of impure gold to a purity of 99.99%[24K] and alternatively to 91.7%[22K]

Thanks,
Varun

 

[Claudie]

There are too many variables to consider to before giving an accurate answer. Do you have experience refining and do you have a place set up to work? What kind of impurities are with the Gold? Is it electronic scrap, Gold Filled, coins, or what? Your question is so wide open, I doubt you will get the answer you are after. You should probably spend some time researching and reading through the forum and make your own decision.
There is a link in my signature that will get you started off on the right foot.

 

[Pantherlikher]

VGR...Welcome to the forum.

You are into the buying and selling of gold scrap?
How did you learn how to buy and sell? By just doing it and reading nothing about how?

Here in order to get a grasp on what the processes are and how much it costs in time, money, acids as well as space needed, you have to read the forum and get an understanding of what it is you are doing before you can do it.

There is no magic wand to wave and boom, you know all of the ins and outs of doing anything. Why do you think this area of expertise is any different? It's far from easy so no of us can just give you an answer that will fill your need/want/demand...

Please take the time to read the welcome section which will guide you toward the understanding you want.

Good luck

B.S.

 

[Harold_V]

Hi,

I am new to the jewellery industry and was wondering if it would be worthwhile getting into the refining business.

It would be great if you could possibly give me an indication as to how much I could possibly charge a customer per gram to refine a bar of impure gold to a purity of 99.99%[24K] and alternatively to 91.7%[22K]

Thanks,
Varun

While 9999 gold is desirable, it is beyond the typical industry standard of 9995. It is also a difficult level of purity to achieve by the methods commonly used for refining by the home lab. In order to achieve that level of purity reliably, gold is parted in a cell, which may be overkill for your needs. By employing good practice, a second chemical refining of gold will yield a quality better than the industry standard, although if most likely will not achieve the 9999 you spoke of.

One would never target 91.7% purity by refining. That would be considered an alloy target, where one would use refined gold along with the proper alloying elements, determined by the color of the gold desired. There's good reason for following this procedure, as impure gold may contain traces of elements that are destructive of gold's ductility. It is the removal of these undesirable elements that is the reason for a second refining, which does wonders for improving the quality of gold recovered.

My advice to you, assuming you have an interest in learning to refine, is to start with Hoke's book, so you gain a knowledge of the procedures involved in the process.

Harold

 

[Lost Pick]

Varan, the short answer to your question: I put my chemical cost to wet refine a troy ounce of gold at less than $10

I guess chemicals for electrolosis costs me less than $6 per troy ounce.

 

[Lou]

Yikes!

I would say gold, over 1000 oz at a time, probably about $0.45/oz wet chemically. Miller and Wohlwill, much cheaper. Thing is, there's gold inventory if you're chlorinating dore, so you're always carrying anode slimes from the silver cell.