MightyGoldenTaco
New member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2019
- Messages
- 2
Hello All,
I am needing some assistance with an experiment I was conducting. This was done solely as an experiment, not to turn a profit. The experiment was conducted in a fume hood in a detached garage.
That being said, I purchased two "14k gold filled" chains to try to recover and refine the gold from. Each chain weighed 58 grams. The only marking on the chains was 14k. I used a gold testing kit (acid and stone) to verify if I was in fact starting with any gold. The 14k solution dissolved everything on the stone completely. I then tried the 10k solution and there was no reaction. At that point I assumed there was at least some gold content.
Here is the process I used, could someone please help me understand whether I made a mistake or the jewelry was in fact just gold plated.
-I removed the spring from the clasp and tested for magnetic material, there was none.
Used a torch to burn off oils, then placed in 200ml distilled water. (1000ml beaker)
-I then added 40 ml 67% nitric acid. (my hot plate was not working so the reaction was done at ambient temperature, approximately 85 degrees F.)
-45 minutes later there were no more fumes being produced, I slowly added an additional 40ml nitric acid.
-1 hour 15 minutes later, colored fumes had stopped. 40 more ml nitric acid was added. (the solution at this point was a very vibrant blue.)
-1 hour 15 minutes later, no more fumes, quite a bit of material remained in the beaker so I added 40 more ml of nitric acid.
- At this point I had to step out and run some errands so I allowed it to sit overnight (mistake?)
The next morning when I checked the experiment, I was surprised to see that everything was dissolved. Absolutely nothing was left except for a minuscule amount of very fine white powder. I tested the solution with stannous chloride and the result was negative. (Purchased not made). The solution is still sitting and I have not touched it in a couple days.
I am assuming at this point that it was not gold filled but instead gold plated, but I could be wrong and it could just have been a mistake on my part. It was my understanding that gold would not dissolve in dilute nitric acid though.
Could someone please provide some insight or guidance. I would greatly appreciate any and all assistance. Thank you.
I am needing some assistance with an experiment I was conducting. This was done solely as an experiment, not to turn a profit. The experiment was conducted in a fume hood in a detached garage.
That being said, I purchased two "14k gold filled" chains to try to recover and refine the gold from. Each chain weighed 58 grams. The only marking on the chains was 14k. I used a gold testing kit (acid and stone) to verify if I was in fact starting with any gold. The 14k solution dissolved everything on the stone completely. I then tried the 10k solution and there was no reaction. At that point I assumed there was at least some gold content.
Here is the process I used, could someone please help me understand whether I made a mistake or the jewelry was in fact just gold plated.
-I removed the spring from the clasp and tested for magnetic material, there was none.
Used a torch to burn off oils, then placed in 200ml distilled water. (1000ml beaker)
-I then added 40 ml 67% nitric acid. (my hot plate was not working so the reaction was done at ambient temperature, approximately 85 degrees F.)
-45 minutes later there were no more fumes being produced, I slowly added an additional 40ml nitric acid.
-1 hour 15 minutes later, colored fumes had stopped. 40 more ml nitric acid was added. (the solution at this point was a very vibrant blue.)
-1 hour 15 minutes later, no more fumes, quite a bit of material remained in the beaker so I added 40 more ml of nitric acid.
- At this point I had to step out and run some errands so I allowed it to sit overnight (mistake?)
The next morning when I checked the experiment, I was surprised to see that everything was dissolved. Absolutely nothing was left except for a minuscule amount of very fine white powder. I tested the solution with stannous chloride and the result was negative. (Purchased not made). The solution is still sitting and I have not touched it in a couple days.
I am assuming at this point that it was not gold filled but instead gold plated, but I could be wrong and it could just have been a mistake on my part. It was my understanding that gold would not dissolve in dilute nitric acid though.
Could someone please provide some insight or guidance. I would greatly appreciate any and all assistance. Thank you.
