How to recover Silver from alloy

[neotrop]

Hi all
A am a new member, never post before. I am reading this forum about 2 - 3 months and I have found a lot of interesting information, thanks to everybody on this forum. I have about 20 kg of spoons that are made of an allay Cu/Zn/Ni and Ag. The silver in this alloy is a bout 5 to 10%, the problem is to get out silver. If somebody have an idea please help me.

 

[Harold_V]

What would be in your best interest is to start reading posts concerning silver. Anyone that has the least bit of experience can tell you how to extract the silver, but you'll have so many questions about the process because you don't understand how it's done that you'll quickly wear out your welcome here. We are more than happy to help, but you have to meet us half way by starting to understand the processes. You can do that by reading Hoke, and posts that pertain to your interest. Use the search function to help you narrow down your interests.

Until you are comfortable with terminology and procedures, you should not even think of trying to separate those metals. We are not here to help you get in trouble.

Harold

 

[neotrop]

Thank you for your advice. I have read one more time chapter VII from Hoke and if I understand correct the best way to separate the alloy is to dissolve everything in nitric acid. Do you really think that 10% of silver will pay the price for the acid and the time for that?

 

[4metals]

If you are correct in your starting weight and silver content, your 20 kilo's contains 1 (at 5%) or 2 (at 10%) kilo's of silver. At todays prices that's $1382 US to $2764 US in silver. Nitric can be pricey but not that pricey.

Good that you have read Hoke and yes nitric is the way to go, followed by cementation on copper.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[neotrop]

God bless you 4metals, I will try to make some photos and post them wen I'm don