I have came into possession of some high grade gold silver ore I have crushed it to the consistency of baby powder I have panned it I have cleaned it

[Stephen Swartz]

I have come into possession of high grade gold and silver ore I have crushed it to the consistency of baby powder it floats on the top of the water and I extract the floating particles and I now have what I believe to be high grade gold concentrate when I stick it in a crucible and put map gas on it it all turns black in the majority of it floats away in the air what is going wrong could someone please help me

 

[FrugalRefiner]

My guess would be that you don't really have gold. Sorry. You can add a drop of Jet Dry or some dishwashing liquid to the water you're using to pan. That will allow the floaters to sink. If it's gold, you can pan it from there.

Also read through So, you think your rocks are valuable? READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST ABOUT ORE!.

Dave

 

[Stephen Swartz]

My guess would be that you don't really have gold. Sorry. You can add a drop of Jet Dry or some dishwashing liquid to the water you're using to pan. That will allow the floaters to sink. If it's gold, you can pan it from there.

Also read through So, you think your rocks are valuable? READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST ABOUT ORE!.

Dave

Hello Dave sir the order I obtained came from and established mine and it's a high silver gold content or from here in New Mexico I've crushed it by hand with the sledgehammer I've cleaned it with water and soapy water cleaned it to the point that the water stays clear and then when I go to pan it I get a million floaters on top I'll try to attach a picture to this I really need help with this I mean I'll send you some of it I need somebody I think to manually teach me hands on show me

 

[Stephen Swartz]

Hello Dave sir the order I obtained came from and established mine and it's a high silver gold content or from here in New Mexico I've crushed it by hand with the sledgehammer I've cleaned it with water and soapy water cleaned it to the point that the water stays clear and then when I go to pan it I get a million floaters on top I'll try to attach a picture to this I really need help with this I mean I'll send you some of it I need somebody I think to manually teach me hands on show me

That first picture is the reaction of some black sand I obtained with hydrochloric acid

 

[goldshark]

Before you start trying to process it, you will need to identify the minerals contained. Sulphides, chlorides, oxides, etc., each will require a different method to process. As you have discovered, the Ag/Au have a tendency to float. For this reason, the floatation system was invented. Not much on the forum about this process, as it really isn't to the refining, or physical metal stage yet. A good read on melting rocks is available in the library, Assaying by Bugby.
Very few rocks will melt in a crucible, without the fluxes to chemically balance the host rock. So read it a couple of times, but first put down the acids, and study.

 

[Stephen Swartz]

Before you start trying to process it, you will need to identify the minerals contained. Sulphides, chlorides, oxides, etc., each will require a different method to process. As you have discovered, the Ag/Au have a tendency to float. For this reason, the floatation system was invented. Not much on the forum about this process, as it really isn't to the refining, or physical metal stage yet. A good read on melting rocks is available in the library, Assaying by Bugby.
Very few rocks will melt in a crucible, without the fluxes to chemically balance the host rock. So read it a couple of times, but first put down the acids, and study.

 

[Stephen Swartz]

Yes sir that has been my intention and I'm going to the University of New Mexico tomorrow I'll look for that book thank you very much happened up on the flotation by accident and then I started reading about it and realized what was happening so I've just slowly been processing or by hand but now at this point I need to make some money back and I have to figure it out thank you for your time and I appreciate it

 

[Stephen Swartz]

Thought you might like to see a picture of the ore it came from the same place as the old Ortiz mine in cerrillos New Mexico

 

[Yggdrasil]

Thought you might like to see a picture of the ore it came from the same place as the old Ortiz mine in cerrillos New Mexico

To me in this picture it looks like Pyrite also called "fools Gold".
There may or may not be Gold inside but it is invisible for the most part.
Since Pyrite is basically Iron Sulfide this means if there is Gold there it may be locked up in Sulfides.
This means you need to roast it first.
Do not breathe the fumes.

 

[Martijn]

Visible is mineralization staining and cubic pyrite crystal structures. Gold and silver may very well be there, but it's not visible to me so far.
Be carefull with acids on rocks. Especially mineralized rocks. Cyanide and arsenic can be present in the ore.
I sure hope you have struck gold, but be prepared for a possible disappointment on the 'high grade' expectations.

 

[andu]

One reason I hate melting with torch and furnace without crucible lid is that precise reason, stuff can fly away, as much as borax will destroy your crucible, add some.
Also, yes, be really careful as pyrite is a headache even if it contains gold.
If it turns black it could be either not gold, either your gas is impure as hell.

But again, i wouldn't risk fine particles on a torch as it will fly away.

 

[Stephen Swartz]

Thanks Andu

 

[Thomas M Joseph]

From the mining district, this could be galena with or without gold and silver content. Only a proper assay will tell for sure. Galena can contain lead, arsenic, antimony, silver, gold. Take precautions with dust, it's toxic as are fumes.

 

[Martijn]

Thanks Andu

Borax only destroys graphite crucibles as far as i know.

Smelting is done in a furnace with the fine crushed ore mixed with a flux like a mix of soda ash and silica, so no fine particles will fly away.

The flame will enter the furnace from the bottom, off set from the center, to get a circular flame pattern around the crucible. Do not point the flame in the crucible.

Stick a piece of iron in there to reduce oxides and sulfides.
You may need an additional collector metal to make it all coalesce.
Melting an ore without flux will never collect all the metals.you need a molten bath covered by flux.

Martijn.
Edited to change sulfates to sulfides.

 

[Martijn]

Borax only destroys graphite crucibles as far as i know.

Smelting is done in a furnace with the fine crushed ore mixed with a flux like a mix of soda ash and silica, so no fine particles will fly away.

The flame will enter the furnace from the bottom, off set from the center, to get a circular flame pattern around the crucible. Do not point the flame in the crucible.

Stick a piece of iron in there to reduce oxides and sulfides.
You may need an additional collector metal to make it all coalesce.
Melting an ore without flux will never collect all the metals.you need a molten bath covered by flux.

Martijn.
Edited to change sulfates to sulfides.

And be beware of, and test for toxic compounds before roasting and smelting ore or concentrates as said. Cinnabar is another dangerous mineral.

 

[minero74]

Stephen In Your picture
Those dark-Brown spots looking very interesting for gold.
but if there is gold in those dark-Brown spots.
will be very fine gold.

when i go out to lode mining
that’s what I exactly looking for
Dark-brown stains.

the cubic sulfide,Is probably Galena
(Lead Sulfide) it colors can range from Lead-gray to very dark purple.

very prominent is Southern Arizona and West Southern New Mexico.

if the silver ore You have is galena
it will be a pain to extract it the silver from the Galena.

You will need lot of equipment and Chemicals.
only profitable for those big company.

I attach 2 pictures of High grade Silver Ore.
That i have in my personal collection.

it have chalcopyrite and some gold.
the gold is very fine and is it in the brown vein that is in the middle of the Ore.
and in those brown spots in the ore.

But it’s contains Very good amount of Silver
can be profitable for small and medium miners.

(I don't like to put grams per tons, because it actually varies a lot, not all Ore contain the same amount of precious metals).

i pick up those ore from an old abandoned mine from a near very famous place in Southern Arizona.

I was looking for Gold ore
then i found that Pile of those Silver Ore
but at that time,I didn't know it was a silver mine.

 

[goldshark]

Thought you might like to see a picture of the ore it came from the same place as the old Ortiz mine in cerrillos New Mexico

Do you have an idea of what it assays at? A good representation can be had by finding old mine production numbers. This will tell the story on general run of mine ore values. There is high grade, which generally was sacked, then sent direct to smelt. But the occasional piece does make it to the dump. The piece in the photo looks like average run of mine grade.

 

[Stephen Swartz]

To me in this picture it looks like Pyrite also called "fools Gold".
There may or may not be Gold inside but it is invisible for the most part.
Since Pyrite is basically Iron Sulfide this means if there is Gold there it may be locked up in Sulfides.
This means you need to roast it first.
Do not breathe the fumes.

Stephen In Your picture
Those dark-Brown spots looking very interesting for gold.
but if there is gold in those dark-Brown spots.
will be very fine gold.

when i go out to lode mining
that’s what I exactly looking for
Dark-brown stains.

the cubic sulfide,Is probably Galena
(Lead Sulfide) it colors can range from Lead-gray to very dark purple.

very prominent is Southern Arizona and West Southern New Mexico.

if the silver ore You have is galena
it will be a pain to extract it the silver from the Galena.

You will need lot of equipment and Chemicals.
only profitable for those big company.

I attach 2 pictures of High grade Silver Ore.
That i have in my personal collection.

it have chalcopyrite and some gold.
the gold is very fine and is it in the brown vein that is in the middle of the Ore.
and in those brown spots in the ore.

But it’s contains Very good amount of Silver
can be profitable for small and medium miners.

(I don't like to put grams per tons, because it actually varies a lot, not all Ore contain the same amount of precious metals).

i pick up those ore from an old abandoned mine from a near very famous place in Southern Arizona.

I was looking for Gold ore
then i found that Pile of those Silver Ore
but at that time,I didn't know it was a silver mine.

Very nice minero

 

[Stephen Swartz]

Well I had some of the concentrate tested today it contains gold large amount of silver and there's some tellirium in there also and it contains quite a large amount of electrum what does anyone know about this substance is it extracted in the same manner and will it come out through the chemical processes for gold and silver of which it is composed

 

[Yggdrasil]

Well I had some of the concentrate tested today it contains gold large amount of silver and there's some tellirium in there also and it contains quite a large amount of electrum what does anyone know about this substance is it extracted in the same manner and will it come out through the chemical processes for gold and silver of which it is composed

How was it tested?