found a heavy gold plated ornamental button

[poppedup]

so i found this button that looked like it took a heavy bath in bold (it had a little chainmail vest that you could visibly see how thick the plating was) immediately placed that and in acid peroxide; however i recently found out that i have been using too much peroxide in my mixture and made quite the amateur mistake (in a previous batch) of discarding the black dust that precipitated at the bottom. i assumed it was tin or other scrap base metals but im not too concerned about that anymore ya live and learn.

ok so basically i dissolved a significant amount of the plating on this button due to the fact i didnt have a measuring device with me and the shape of the glass medicine bottle i was using was causing optical illusions :/. well i have a good amount of copper wire to replace the gold in solution and re precipitate it, but the main question is how much copper do you add for said incident ( im expecting 1-2 grams of gold out of a 18 gram copper/zinc/tin/silver alloy of a button.
thanks once again.

 

[heliman4141]

If possible use a bar of copper not wire.
Easy to scrub off the Gold with a toothbrush from a bar.............. wire not so easy. Flatten a pc of 3/4" copper pipe if you don't have a bar laying about. be sure to bend over the ends so no Gold gets inside the pipe.

Dave

 

[poppedup]

If possible use a bar of copper not wire.
Easy to scrub off the Gold with a toothbrush from a bar.............. wire not so easy. Flatten a pc of 3/4" copper pipe if you don't have a bar laying about. be sure to bend over the ends so no Gold gets inside the pipe.

Dave

awsome. i was under the impressiong the the gold was simply replaced in solution and precipitated to the bottom of the container. i did not know it attaches itself to the copper... thats going be difficult to do if its not dry though.

 

[heliman4141]

No its easy,
The Gold comes off easily with a gentle scrubbing while you hold it in solution. Use general safety precautions such as latex gloves & safety glasses & after scrubbing the copper put it back in the solution & allow everything to settle, Gold will reform on the copper several times so you will have to do this a couple times. The quickest & easiest way is to run a bubbler with the copper overnite. By morning one scrub on the copper & its done. Test the solution for Gold with stannous when it looks like everything has settled before decanting off the liquid waste. The bubbler is the fastest way but either way be patient & test to be sure all Gold is out of solution.

It will need further washing & refining to purify if you want 995 or better.

Dave

 

[poppedup]

No its easy,
The Gold comes off easily with a gentle scrubbing while you hold it in solution. Use general safety precautions such as latex gloves & safety glasses & after scrubbing the copper put it back in the solution & allow everything to settle, Gold will reform on the copper several times so you will have to do this a couple times. The quickest & easiest way is to run a bubbler with the copper overnite. By morning one scrub on the copper & its done. Test the solution for Gold with stannous when it looks like everything has settled before decanting off the liquid waste. The bubbler is the fastest way but either way be patient & test to be sure all Gold is out of solution.

It will need further washing & refining to purify if you want 995 or better.

Dave

great! i happen to have a bubbler at my disposal but the thing is that the copper at my disposal is 2mm thick wire so i might have to go hunt for some.
O also do you know where i can find some forum posts on what to do when My copper(II) chloride solution turns a darker shade of brown?

 

[heliman4141]

Use the search on the upper right of the pg. Everything you need is there.
Study.

Dave