Gray powder

[Mac1969]

I have gray powder after I did my first recovery mixed with the gold flakes. How do I get rid of it. I used the vinegar salt peroxide method to recover the foils.

 

[nickvc]

You need to give us more information such as what you were processing .
As a side question why did you use vinegar and salt instead of HCl ?

 

[Mac1969]

You need to give us more information such as what you were processing .
As a side question why did you use vinegar and salt instead of HCl ?

I didn’t have any HCL and was trying to do it it a little more disposal friendly. I was recovering from ram sticks and other cell phone parts.

 

[Mac1969]

I didn’t have any HCL and was trying to do it it a little more disposal friendly. I was recovering from ram sticks and other cell phone parts.

 

[Alondro]

Probably a mix of insoluble transition metal acetates and some silver chloride.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I didn’t have any HCL and was trying to do it it a little more disposal friendly. I was recovering from ram sticks and other cell phone parts.

The moment it has dissolved metals it is no longer disposable friendly.
Actually salts from Vinegar may pose greater danger as Acetic acid is an organic acid.

 

[Shark]

I have gray powder after I did my first recovery mixed with the gold flakes. How do I get rid of it. I used the vinegar salt peroxide method to recover the foils.

This still makes a weak and often dirty hydrochloric acid. And is still not any easier to make "disposal safe".

Yggdrasil beat me to it, but...

 

[Yggdrasil]

I have gray powder after I did my first recovery mixed with the gold flakes. How do I get rid of it. I used the vinegar salt peroxide method to recover the foils.

Welcome to us bye the way.

Here are some links we recommend to study:

We ask our new members to do 3 things.
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=19798
2. Then read the safety section of the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/safety.47/
3. And then read about "Dealing with waste" in the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/dealing-with-waste.10539/

Suggested reading:
https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/the-library.101/
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/when-in-doubt-cement-it-out.30236/
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threa...le-read-this-before-you-post-about-ore.33333/


Forum rules is here.
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/gold-refining-forum-rules.31182/

 

[Mac1969]

Will a little bit of HCl dissolve all the junk/ powder

 

[Yggdrasil]

Will a little bit of HCl dissolve all the junk/ powder

Only one way to find out, but most likely ut will take much if not all.
It will not take any PMs though.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Will a little bit of HCl dissolve all the junk/ powder

How is your studies by the way?

 

[Alondro]

The moment it has dissolved metals it is no longer disposable friendly.
Actually salts from Vinegar may pose greater danger as Acetic acid is an organic acid.

The biggest danger of dilute organic acids such as vinegar comes from toxic heavy metals being turned into organic salts and compounds, which are OBSCENELY toxic. Dimethyl mercury, for example, is astronomically more deadly than metallic mercury. It metabolizes to methyl mercury, which easily crosses the blood-brain barrier, and forms a complex with the amino acid cysteine, making it impossible for the body to eliminate. Mercury acetate is substantially less deadly because it's an ionic compound rather than covalent, and doesn't bind to cysteine. However, as little as 40 mg still causes severe brain and nerve damage.

Lead acetate was used in paints... and as adulterants in candies and wines because it was dirt cheap (sugar at the time was relatively expensive) and tastes deceptively sweet while being very neurotoxic! It was responsible for many children getting lead poisoning as they were eating paint chips which tastes sweet from the use of lead acetate as a white/yellow white pigment.

Organic salts of copper, tin, and iron; on the other hand, are generally much lower toxicity. Some simply decompose as quickly as they form in aqueous solutions, such as tin acetate, which rapidly breaks down to tin oxide, hydrogen, and CO2.

Copper acetate is a commonly used compound for fungicides and pigments. It has moderate toxicity with an LD50 of 700mg/kg, which translates to an average lethal dose of 42g for a 60kg human.

Iron acetate has been used for hundreds of years as a mordant in dying fabric, and as a wood stain. It's very low toxicity has made it extremely versatile.