Extracting Rhodium, Iridium from Iron ore.

[jamaltoru]

Hi, to everyone. I have a question. I have ore, in which 88% iron, silver, copper, nickel, Rhodium, Iridium, palladium. etc.
I wanted to remove iron and other metals, and take Rhodium, Iridium and palladium . I put ore in HCL, and than in some samples also mix Nitrac asid, it's colour became dark green, than after day or so it's become blackish brown. So what's this mean, and also give me suggestion that how I seperate Rhodium Iridium palladium from other metals.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Hi, to everyone. I have a question. I have ore, in which 88% iron, silver, copper, nickel, Rhodium, Iridium, palladium. etc.
I wanted to remove iron and other metals, and take Rhodium, Iridium and palladium . I put ore in HCL, and than in some samples also mix Nitrac asid, it's colour became dark green, than after day or so it's become blackish brown. So what's this mean, and also give me suggestion that how I seperate Rhodium Iridium palladium from other metals.

Welcome to us.
It seem like you have a XRF test of your ore.
XRF of ore is notoriously inaccurate and usually can not be trusted.
Besides that, do you have some kind of other assays confirming that you ore do not contain dangerous minerals?
Treating unknown ores in acids is not recommended and is equivalent with asking for trouble.
Please stop this until you know the actual content of your ore.

No ores are treated with acids by professionals companies, ores are concentrated by flotation and or gravity separation to create concentrates before any chemical treatment are done.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Hi, to everyone. I have a question. I have ore, in which 88% iron, silver, copper, nickel, Rhodium, Iridium, palladium. etc.
I wanted to remove iron and other metals, and take Rhodium, Iridium and palladium . I put ore in HCL, and than in some samples also mix Nitrac asid, it's colour became dark green, than after day or so it's become blackish brown. So what's this mean, and also give me suggestion that how I seperate Rhodium Iridium palladium from other metals.

Please study this before you do any chemical work.
This way you may keep yourself and those around you safe.

We ask our new members to do 3 things.
1. Read C.M. Hokes book on refining jewelers scrap, it gives an easy introduction to the most important chemistry regarding refining.
It is free here on the forum: Screen Readable Copy of Hoke's Book
2. Then read the safety section of the forum: Safety
3. And then read about "Dealing with waste" in the forum: Dealing with Waste

Suggested reading: The Library

https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/gold-refining-forum-rules.31182/

 

[Keepmehumble]

Welcome to us.
It seem like you have a XRF test of your ore.
XRF of ore is notoriously inaccurate and usually can not be trusted.
Besides that, do you have some kind of other assays confirming that you ore do not contain dangerous minerals?
Treating unknown ores in acids is not recommended and is equivalent with asking for trouble.
Please stop this until you know the actual content of your ore.

No ores are treated with acids by professionals companies, ores are concentrated by flotation and or gravity separation to create concentrates before any chemical treatment are done.

Hi, to everyone. I have a question. I have ore, in which 88% iron, silver, copper, nickel, Rhodium, Iridium, palladium. etc.
I wanted to remove iron and other metals, and take Rhodium, Iridium and palladium . I put ore in HCL, and than in some samples also mix Nitrac asid, it's colour became dark green, than after day or so it's become blackish brown. So what's this mean, and also give me suggestion that how I seperate Rhodium Iridium palladium from other metals.

Pgms are a lot more common than people say. Xrf are very accurate and the pgms are in several ores

 

[Keepmehumble]

Welcome to us.
It seem like you have a XRF test of your ore.
XRF of ore is notoriously inaccurate and usually can not be trusted.
Besides that, do you have some kind of other assays confirming that you ore do not contain dangerous minerals?
Treating unknown ores in acids is not recommended and is equivalent with asking for trouble.
Please stop this until you know the actual content of your ore.

No ores are treated with acids by professionals companies, ores are concentrated by flotation and or gravity separation to create concentrates before any chemical treatment are done.

Hi, to everyone. I have a question. I have ore, in which 88% iron, silver, copper, nickel, Rhodium, Iridium, palladium. etc.
I wanted to remove iron and other metals, and take Rhodium, Iridium and palladium . I put ore in HCL, and than in some samples also mix Nitrac asid, it's colour became dark green, than after day or so it's become blackish brown. So what's this mean, and also give me suggestion that how I seperate Rhodium Iridium palladium from other metals.

Are you still trying to process the pgms? Be safe and find a chemist that can help. Xrf are accurate and pgms are pretty common in certain area of the world

 

[Yggdrasil]

Are you still trying to process the pgms? Be safe and find a chemist that can help. Xrf are accurate and pgms are pretty common in certain area of the world

XRF are not to be trusted on ores.
Especially if it is not set up in geochem mode.
It easily misread elements and substitute them for others.
Typically is that it calls Arsenic as either Rh or Ir.

 

[Arsenopyrite]

What kind of XRF?
Properly prepared samples tested in a lab grade benchtop XRF can produce decent, reliable results. That's if the instruments are calibrated for the elements of interest.

Samples tested using a handheld XRF usually produce goofy results. Although the handheld instruments have improved markedly, they tend to be best for certain elements, but might display PPM values for many others. The handheld XRF instruments I'm familiar with are good for testing lead content in pottery glazes and gold proportion in jewelry. A few are specific to testing lithium in surface rocks. Some handheld XRF instruments are used in ore control in operating mines. You can be certain that those instruments are calibrated for the specific ore elements being mined.

Also bear in mind that a handheld XRF is viewing an area no larger than a pin head. For a good, and sad, history of the misuse of handheld XRF instruments, read up on the litigation between the government of Tanzania and Acacia Mining.

 

[Yggdrasil]

What kind of XRF?
Properly prepared samples tested in a lab grade benchtop XRF can produce decent, reliable results. That's if the instruments are calibrated for the elements of interest.

Samples tested using a handheld XRF usually produce goofy results. Although the handheld instruments have improved markedly, they tend to be best for certain elements, but might display PPM values for many others. The handheld XRF instruments I'm familiar with are good for testing lead content in pottery glazes and gold proportion in jewelry. A few are specific to testing lithium in surface rocks. Some handheld XRF instruments are used in ore control in operating mines. You can be certain that those instruments are calibrated for the specific ore elements being mined.

Also bear in mind that a handheld XRF is viewing an area no larger than a pin head. For a good, and sad, history of the misuse of handheld XRF instruments, read up on the litigation between the government of Tanzania and Acacia Mining.

The XRF need to be calibrated used correctly AND have the correct library loaded or it will be guessing at the nearest element it has loaded.
Typically most XRFs are loaded with precious metals library and those are not set up to have readings on ores.

Still, if they are completely and correct set up I believe they are considered just as quick checks
to see if they warrant the expense to send the samples to proper assays.

 

[Arsenopyrite]

The XRF need to be calibrated used correctly AND have the correct library loaded or it will be guessing at the nearest element it has loaded.
Typically most XRFs are loaded with precious metals library and those are not set up to have readings on ores.

Still, if they are completely and correct set up I believe they are considered just as quick checks
to see if they warrant the expense to send the samples to proper assays.

Absolutely correct! I was trying to keep my reply short. Obviously, it was too short!