autumnwillow
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2010
- Messages
- 450
I went to my local refiner today where they inquarted my karat gold to 25% gold using silver.
Then when they started to use nitric acid on it. We got a muddy solution, as if the gold wont settle down where we used to have just a greenish/bluish solution and gold powder settling down.
What could have been the problem here? They say palladium and/or platinum could have been present in my karat gold. Which I am not sure of.
They then tried to rinse it (gold powders pouring off in the process) where it is contained in a bucket (for re-refining tomorrow). When they tried to melt the rinsed gold, it wouldn't melt at all. They then tried to add silver. It melted, then they repeated the process of using nitric acid again to dissolve the other metals, we still got the same solution (dark brown muddy solution). They repeated the process of rinsing, with some gold powders again being poured off with the rinse.
Now this time they added only small amounts of silver and more on copper for the inquartation. And for the nitric part we now have a greenish/bluish solution with gold powder settling down. They were able to properly rinse this one. When melted it looked as if its not 23-24k gold. Where we usually get about 23-24k gold.
I understand that my refiner is not that knowledgeable in the AR process of refining. Its the reason I am in this forums. I've been researching a lot and want to start my own refinery. Only budget and location of the refinery have been stopping me. Its the chemical fume hood for AR process that I am having trouble to build. (I want a PTFE or PPR based hood)
Then when they started to use nitric acid on it. We got a muddy solution, as if the gold wont settle down where we used to have just a greenish/bluish solution and gold powder settling down.
What could have been the problem here? They say palladium and/or platinum could have been present in my karat gold. Which I am not sure of.
They then tried to rinse it (gold powders pouring off in the process) where it is contained in a bucket (for re-refining tomorrow). When they tried to melt the rinsed gold, it wouldn't melt at all. They then tried to add silver. It melted, then they repeated the process of using nitric acid again to dissolve the other metals, we still got the same solution (dark brown muddy solution). They repeated the process of rinsing, with some gold powders again being poured off with the rinse.
Now this time they added only small amounts of silver and more on copper for the inquartation. And for the nitric part we now have a greenish/bluish solution with gold powder settling down. They were able to properly rinse this one. When melted it looked as if its not 23-24k gold. Where we usually get about 23-24k gold.
I understand that my refiner is not that knowledgeable in the AR process of refining. Its the reason I am in this forums. I've been researching a lot and want to start my own refinery. Only budget and location of the refinery have been stopping me. Its the chemical fume hood for AR process that I am having trouble to build. (I want a PTFE or PPR based hood)