I Need an XRF, because my refinery pinches. Any help appreciated!

[the leprechaun]

I'm on good terms with the guy who operates my somewhat nearby refinery. I've always suspected they may pinch a little, but if so, it's probably just a little. Moreover, when my packages go to their other locations (for aquia regia process to remove diamonds or when I mail it in) every karat bag comes up noticably short in purity. I need an XRF so I can melt my scrap into a cake and XRF it before sending it in.

But I see websites with $12K XRF and others with $2k models.

Are there decent budget models I can use for gold and silver?
Are there good sources for used and remanufactured guns?
And are there models and sources I should avoid?

You guys are the only ones in the universe to ask this as a group. So please guide me with your collective wisdom.

Thanks!

I'm on good terms with the guy who operates my somewhat nearby refinery. I've always suspected they may pinch a little, but if so, it's probably just a little. Moreover, when my packages go to their other locations (for aquia regia process to remove diamonds or when I mail it in) every karat bag comes up noticably short in purity. I need an XRF so I can melt my scrap into a cake and XRF it before sending it in.

But I see websites with $12K XRF and others with $2k models.

Are there decent budget models I can use for gold and silver?
Are there good sources for used and remanufactured guns?
And are there models and sources I should avoid?

You guys are the only ones in the universe to ask this as a group. So please guide me with your collective wisdom.

Thanks!

I assume from your comments it is all jewellery you are sending? If so the Thermo Scientific Niton DXL was specifically built for the purpose of jewellery. I bought one many years ago and it has been spot on for all jewellery and accurate for this type of material. It paid for itself in 3 weeks. Do not buy a cheap one as its a waste of money which I stupidly did. Here is a link https://www.nitonuk.co.uk/dxl/

 

[VK3NHL]

I am old and retired and firmly entrenched in the chemical fire assay camp so you will have to rely on members who have purchased instruments recently.

I

I'm on good terms with the guy who operates my somewhat nearby refinery. I've always suspected they may pinch a little, but if so, it's probably just a little. Moreover, when my packages go to their other locations (for aquia regia process to remove diamonds or when I mail it in) every karat bag comes up noticably short in purity. I need an XRF so I can melt my scrap into a cake and XRF it before sending it in.

But I see websites with $12K XRF and others with $2k models.

Are there decent budget models I can use for gold and silver?
Are there good sources for used and remanufactured guns?
And are there models and sources I should avoid?

You guys are the only ones in the universe to ask this as a group. So please guide me with your collective wisdom.

Thanks!

maybe you don’t have to lash out $20K for an XRF, do what I did & ‘Buddy up’ with someone who has one and when you need get them to ‘Shoot’ it for you, my dealer charges me $10.00 a time.
Just photo the reading..

Well worth it me thinks..
Cheers
Tony

 

[Midlands]

I assume from your comments it is all jewellery you are sending? If so the Thermo Scientific Niton DXL was specifically built for the purpose of jewellery. I bought one many years ago and it has been spot on for all jewellery and accurate for this type of material. It paid for itself in 3 weeks. Do not buy a cheap one as its a waste of money which I stupidly did. Here is a link https://www.nitonuk.co.uk/dxl/

Yowza. Thanks for the model recommendation; I really mean that. But it looks like I'll have to pass until I'm making $200K per year profit.

 

[Midlands]

I

maybe you don’t have to lash out $20K for an XRF, do what I did & ‘Buddy up’ with someone who has one and when you need get them to ‘Shoot’ it for you, my dealer charges me $10.00 a time.
Just photo the reading..

Well worth it me thinks..
Cheers
Tony

That's a good idea. But who is my best bet? Pawn shop? Coin dealer? I wonder if anybody in this fairly small town has one of these.

 

[SRM]

Most XRF analyzers use ED (energy dispersive) or WD (wave dispersive) technology to obtain results, each with pros and cons. In general, they work well if they are calibrated, have appropriate emitters / receivers of sufficient power selected for specific elements and have a well-prepared, homogenous sample to analyze. Their main advantage is speed, more so for the hand-held models (generally 20-40K$) than the bench top (generally 50K$+) ones. Accuracy and precision of handheld models can suffer in a multielement, non-homogenous environment because of low power, small window and calibration. XRFs basically give an analysis of the surface of the sample and have little penetration. As mentioned, annual upkeep is significant. Proper procedures will minimize the dangers of xray radiation.

A certified assay will generally be under $200 (including sampling and shipping) but will take longer to obtain.
If you live in a city, many pawnshops, bullion dealers and we-buy-gold shops will have an XRF for the very purpose you describe. Many will provide a quick analysis for a minimal cost.

 

[Midlands]

Most XRF analyzers use ED (energy dispersive) or WD (wave dispersive) technology to obtain results, each with pros and cons. In general, they work well if they are calibrated, have appropriate emitters / receivers of sufficient power selected for specific elements and have a well-prepared, homogenous sample to analyze. Their main advantage is speed, more so for the hand-held models (generally 20-40K$) than the bench top (generally 50K$+) ones. Accuracy and precision of handheld models can suffer in a multielement, non-homogenous environment because of low power, small window and calibration. XRFs basically give an analysis of the surface of the sample and have little penetration. As mentioned, annual upkeep is significant. Proper procedures will minimize the dangers of xray radiation.

A certified assay will generally be under $200 (including sampling and shipping) but will take longer to obtain.
If you live in a city, many pawnshops, bullion dealers and we-buy-gold shops will have an XRF for the very purpose you describe. Many will provide a quick analysis for a minimal cost.

Thanks for the details. Even besides the price, it sounds like more trouble than I want. I'm going to start looking into refining with a little furnace or aqua regia instead.

 

[goldshark]

Thanks for the details. Even besides the price, it sounds like more trouble than I want. I'm going to start looking into refining with a little furnace or aqua regia instead.

Another option, instead of using AR, is to inquart with Silver, Then dissolve in Nitric only. Not a bad way to go for getting 2 to 3 9's Gold, then melting to a bar.

 

[4metals]

I met a guy while consulting for a refinery in Dallas Texas who worked at the refinery but was starting up a small gold buying operation on a shoestring budget. He was a nice guy and eager to learn. He did exactly as @goldshark suggested.

He did not have a place to do his work other than his back yard and he did live in a rural area. He built a plywood hood, painted the inside with water sealant and cut a square hole in the back to install a simple box fan. He knew the box fan wouldn't last but they were cheap and easily replaced. He did spray a silicone spray daily to help coat the fan to extend it's life but I do not know if this helped. He used a small gas melter, inquarted with Silver and parted in a stainless steel pot. By using his second parting acid over (because it still had free nitric acid, and a lot of it) and always using fresh nitric for the second boil, he was able to generate 999 gold which he traveled and sold to a NTR store. He truly started on a shoe string as the expression goes. He eventually added a scrubber and a PVC hood and relocated to a building as a "we buy gold" shop that also refined.

I don't think he ever invested in an XRF!

15 years later he is still at it!