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BrianB110163

New member
Joined
May 21, 2023
Messages
3
Location
Louisiana
Hello everyone, I am just starting my journy into refining metals. About to go shopping for my first buy of Sterling Silver to refine into 999 silver.

Thanks in advance for all the help I am going to need lol.

BB
 
Hello everyone, I am just starting my journy into refining metals. About to go shopping for my first buy of Sterling Silver to refine into 999 silver.

Thanks in advance for all the help I am going to need lol.

BB
Welcome to us.

Here are some links for your studies.

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: Screen Readable Copy of Hoke's Book
2. Then read the safety section of the forum: Safety
3. And then read about "Dealing with waste" in the forum: Dealing with Waste

Suggested reading: The Library

Forum rules : https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/gold-refining-forum-rules.31182/post-327766
 
Welcome to the forum.

What is the purpose of refining the sterling? Just getting experience?
The reason I ask is that sterling is recognizable to pm traders and can be sold as is. With refined silver the source or purity is not as clear and you may not make any extra profit by refining it. Only have extra processing costs.
 
Thanks all for the hellos and tips! I am looking to gain experiance in refining metals and seeing the videos online of the pure silver produced in a silver cell just have me drooling lol.

I am a hobbiest and like to try new things. Refining sterling into pure silver is something I want to try and stock pile. I do some jewlery making and may try out making some rings or pendents. I will be making a fumehood soon, I am was in the Telecom world for quite a while where we replaced and refreshed batterys for microwave link backup. I know the equipment I need to handle acids and the caution needed.

I never just go into something unless I know the dangers and risks involved.

You don't grow old by being a fool.

Thanks again everyone!

BB
 
Check out lazersteve's posts on the silver cell. He basically reinvented the process and a way to reuse the nitric acid from copper nitrate.

Study the links given and ask if you don't understand something.
Present your plan for us to review before you do anything.
The acids are hazardous, but the chemical salts you will create are toxic and need the proper handling.

Most of all: have fun!!
 
Great thanks for all of the tips and I really like he idea of being able to review my plans before I do something.

I am remodeling an old home and the circuit breakers are from the 70's. I took apart 3 of them and they look to have a nice thick layer of silver over a copper base. I read that the stranded wire in the breaker may have some silver in them but they look like a darker copper color.

I need to replace the other 17 so once I get them all scrapped I will weigh and go form there.

Thanks again!

BB
 
The wire with the darker color could be nickel. After Hurricane Katrina , I was fortunate to be working for an outfit that was upgrading the generators in the BellSouth Substations. Included in our detail was the demolition of all the rectifiers including the wiring. Upon recycling the large wires we found they were copper jacketed in a nickel or nickel alloy. FYI
 
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