Final step of refining silver, they won't melt and produce yellow liquid

[ItsJayBirds]

I tried to refine silver by dissolving the silver in nitric acid. Then I add table salt to the mix to precipitate the silver making a silver chloride. AgCl then mixed with KOH to oxidize the silver making Ag2O. From here I filter out all the water leaving me with the silver oxide dust. When I try to melt it, it won't melt and there are some melted liquid. It looked like AgCl or KCl. the liquid is yellowish and smells like chloride. The silver from the outside formed a nice layer of silver but it won't melt.

The torch I use usually able to melt gold and it was used to turn the silver into smaller piece before by melting it and dropping it into water. However the layer of silver will not melt and I spend around 1.5 Hour before giving up.

 

[Lino1406]

Seems AgCl was not converted. What form of KOH and how you used it?

 

[ItsJayBirds]

I use solid KOH, the mixture was in water and it produce a lot of water when I place the KOH. The color turn dark grey and according to what I read it should be perfect.

 

[Lino1406]

What other ingredient you have - lead? Silver oxide is perfect black, not dark grey

 

[ItsJayBirds]

Ingredient list are:
Silver
Nitric Acid
Table Salt
Potassium Hydroxide
Water

I guess I made a mistake, I didn't add enough KOH.
The liquid consistency was pretty watery and when I pour it into water/take it with a rod it turn white like AgCl. The confusing part is that it is that there were so much and the silver oxide won't melt.

 

[Lino1406]

By the way, AgCl can be melted directly with soda ash

 

[ItsJayBirds]

I didn't knew that. I'll give it a shot. Thank you!

 

[Lino1406]

Watch link in signature, showing the holes in the silver nugget formed that way