Gday everyone

[Metalliq0r]

Hey everyone, been trying to get setup to do some refining lately. Been interested in metals/elements all my life, and just can't pass up some good scrap on the side of the road. Got a decent pile to process, mainly going to try for gold with Iodine starting out. About the easiest and safest I could figure out, we'll see how it goes.

Also the resources here are seriously awesome, thanks to everyone for this knowledge bank!

 

[Yggdrasil]

Welcome to us.
I'm nor sure Iodine/Iodide leaches are the easiest nor the safest.
If you are targeting visible gold plating we will usually recommend a process called a Cupric Chloride etch often called AP.
Other than that keep studying and reading.
Here are some hints.

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:
https://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=197982. Then read the safety section of the forum
3. And then read about "Dealing with waste" in the forum

 

[Metalliq0r]

Right on thanks for the info, I have heard of Hoke's book. Im currently going through the Dealing with wastes thread, so interesting. Definitly need to do everything right, and by the sounds of it that's a good way of getting good value out of everything and not contributing to toxic dumping.

Will look up Cupric Chloride process sounds interesting as well.

 

[Metalliq0r]

Yggdrasil,

I've been studying the AP process, and realized I have seen it done before in a few youtube videos. I didn't understand at the time the chemistry involved, much appreciation for this forum. I love that it is a process that allows for the removal of all metals left in the waste solution, which imo is much more important than values recovery. Enough damage been done to this Earth.

I am still looking at iodine leaching, but understand some of the issues. It seems to want to eat just about any metal it wants, but with PH control can be managed I gather. I do have questions regarding the waste solution produced from a "dirty" leach, as in what happens when base metals accidentally get leached. Is there a good thread on Iodine waste treatment on here?

M

 

[Yggdrasil]

Yggdrasil,

I've been studying the AP process, and realized I have seen it done before in a few youtube videos. I didn't understand at the time the chemistry involved, much appreciation for this forum. I love that it is a process that allows for the removal of all metals left in the waste solution, which imo is much more important than values recovery. Enough damage been done to this Earth.

I am still looking at iodine leaching, but understand some of the issues. It seems to want to eat just about any metal it wants, but with PH control can be managed I gather. I do have questions regarding the waste solution produced from a "dirty" leach, as in what happens when base metals accidentally get leached. Is there a good thread on Iodine waste treatment on here?

M

Well there is no difference in treating AP for waste than any other post refining liquors.
AP is an etching process that works very good mostly for Copper since it then are regenerated indefinitely.
Just add a bit HCl from time to time.
Well as long as you have an air bubbler in it.
Iodine waste has not been discussed here as I remember, but the Iodide/Iodine leach can be regenerated/recycled as well.
There is a patent document here in the forum discussing the use of Potassium and Ammonium Iodide.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Yggdrasil,

I've been studying the AP process, and realized I have seen it done before in a few youtube videos. I didn't understand at the time the chemistry involved, much appreciation for this forum. I love that it is a process that allows for the removal of all metals left in the waste solution, which imo is much more important than values recovery. Enough damage been done to this Earth.

I am still looking at iodine leaching, but understand some of the issues. It seems to want to eat just about any metal it wants, but with PH control can be managed I gather. I do have questions regarding the waste solution produced from a "dirty" leach, as in what happens when base metals accidentally get leached. Is there a good thread on Iodine waste treatment on here?

M

Here it is

 

[stoneware]

Well there is no difference in treating AP for waste than any other post refining liquors.
AP is an etching process that works very good mostly for Copper since it then are regenerated indefinitely.
Just add a bit HCl from time to time.
Well as long as you have an air bubbler in it.
Iodine waste has not been discussed here as I remember, but the Iodide/Iodine leach can be regenerated/recycled as well.
There is a patent document here in the forum discussing the use of Potassium and Ammonium Iodide.

With the exception of cyanide waste

 

[Yggdrasil]

With the exception of cyanide waste

Of course, I was preoccupied with the OP so it was not in my mind.

 

[Metalliq0r]

Thank you very much, will be reading through this!

M

 

[Metalliq0r]

Well there is no difference in treating AP for waste than any other post refining liquors.
AP is an etching process that works very good mostly for Copper since it then are regenerated indefinitely.
Just add a bit HCl from time to time.
Well as long as you have an air bubbler in it.
Iodine waste has not been discussed here as I remember, but the Iodide/Iodine leach can be regenerated/recycled as well.
There is a patent document here in the forum discussing the use of Potassium and Ammonium Iodide.

Found some info regarding the waste solution in that patent, can be treated with sodium peroxide to precipitate base metals after recovering Iodine with H2O2. I will say most of the compounds used in there are out of reach for me, will go the AP way for now once I've fully studied.

M

 

[Yggdrasil]

Found some info regarding the waste solution in that patent, can be treated with sodium peroxide to precipitate base metals after recovering Iodine with H2O2. I will say most of the compounds used in there are out of reach for me, will go the AP way for now once I've fully studied.

M

Well, AP and Iodine/Iodide leaches has different purposes,
AP dissolves the base metals under the Gold plating while Iodine/Iodide leaches the Gold directly.

And I think what they use for reclaiming the Iodine is 30% Hydrogen Peroxide.
The issue is remaking the Iodide.

 

[Metalliq0r]

Yes it was around 30%, and ya sounds like kind of a pain to remake the solution. In that sense the Copper Chloride solution seems much easier to deal with.

M

 

[Yggdrasil]

Yes it was around 30%, and ya sounds like kind of a pain to remake the solution. In that sense the Copper Chloride solution seems much easier to deal with.

M

Yes but the Copper Chloride do not touch the Gold.

 

[Metalliq0r]

Yes I get that, thanks for the info. I now have a much clearer idea of what I would like to do for processing and recovery. As I mentioned earlier I was quite concerned with how to treat the waste/reuse it, and now see a way forward. Much thanks,

M