Gold Filled Scrap Jewelry Recovery question

[bhilton]

I nitric boiled 330g of what was a random mix of gold-filled scrap jewelry, 6 or 7 times and it seemed like it was done. Everything appeared to be a crumbly foil like shell of its original shape.

I noticed a handful of pieces that looked a little thicker than most of the foils and I was excited because I figured they were going to increase my yield.

I filtered and then roasted all the material including the filter paper to red hot, but before anything melted.

I moved on to AR and the majority of it dissolved normally.

I finally gave up trying to dissolve the bits in the bottom of the beaker and filtered.

It appears the bits in the bottom of the beaker were all covered in a whiteish coating which leads me to believe they were thick enough karat material that they became covered in silver chloride, so they refused to dissolve further.

What would you do next? I have a bunch of silver chloride powder mixed with little bits of silver chloride coated karat gold.

I was trying to find guidance on the forum and I think maybe I can use a blend of sodium carbonate and borax, and melt all the material in a crucible?

The material is not dry and still wet.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thank you,
Bill

 

[adam mizer]

I was reading ammonia dissolves silver chloride.
Better to get some more information on this if used.
Not to create anything unsafe with other chemicals.

 

[adam mizer]

Here's a link to some posts.
Here

 

[Yggdrasil]

I nitric boiled 330g of what was a random mix of gold-filled scrap jewelry, 6 or 7 times and it seemed like it was done. Everything appeared to be a crumbly foil like shell of its original shape.

I noticed a handful of pieces that looked a little thicker than most of the foils and I was excited because I figured they were going to increase my yield.

I filtered and then roasted all the material including the filter paper to red hot, but before anything melted.

I moved on to AR and the majority of it dissolved normally.

I finally gave up trying to dissolve the bits in the bottom of the beaker and filtered.

It appears the bits in the bottom of the beaker were all covered in a whiteish coating which leads me to believe they were thick enough karat material that they became covered in silver chloride, so they refused to dissolve further.

What would you do next? I have a bunch of silver chloride powder mixed with little bits of silver chloride coated karat gold.

I was trying to find guidance on the forum and I think maybe I can use a blend of sodium carbonate and borax, and melt all the material in a crucible?

The material is not dry and still wet.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thank you,
Bill

How much was left?

 

[bhilton]

How much was left?

Hard to say, but by my eye, I'd guess a gram or 2 of material.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Hard to say, but by my eye, I'd guess a gram or 2 of material.

Pound it as flat as you can and put it back in AR.
Stir it often and the Gold will dissolve.
There will be a bit of Gold left in the Silver Chloride but you will get it back when you process the Silver in the Silver Cell afterwards.