Gold plated stir rod

[FrugalEE]

I'm in the process of precipitating gold from auric chloride for the first time. I measured out 0.8 gram of SMB to recover the 0.6 gram of gold expected. The first thing that happened was the end of my glass stir rod turned golden! That rod is glass tubing that I heated with torch and closed the end the best I could. I've been using that same rod for silver solutions as well and I realize some silver must have stuck to the rod and it cemented out gold. I'm sure the rod had dried off. I'm dissappointed that much silver could stick to the rod, especially since I usually rinse it with squirt bottle.

I'll make another rod and not mix gold rod with silver rod and I'll clean this rod in AR. The gold is surprisingly hard to scrape off.

Note the Corningware frying pan below that I use when heating on the hot plate. I got that at thrift store for about $3, a very lucky find as it is rated for direct stove heat.

FrugalEE

 

[lazersteve]

It's not from silver, it's normal for gold to plate out on the clean glass.

The gold will wipe right off with a piece of filter paper. Save the paper to add to your burn pile and you will not lose the gold.

Steve

 

[FrugalEE]

Thanks Steve. I take it then that the rod I used is as good as any. Would plastic do the same thing?

 

[lazersteve]

Thanks Steve. I take it then that the rod I used is as good as any. Would plastic do the same thing?

Yes, but I would be concerned that your hollow rod would be more susceptible to breaking than a solid glass rod. If the end is not fully sealed you will have problems with cleaning it also.

Steve