You haven't found much information on using copper because is counter productive. I've been there & done that... :roll:
When I first started refining, I used copper for a couple of batches, but decided that I was wasting nitric & my time; you're better off by using silver for inquarting.
Here is a note from information that I've filed from my searches:
"NOTE: Do your math first.
It takes about 38 ml of nitric acid to dissolve 1 troy oz. of silver.
It takes 48ml of nitric to dissolve 1 troy oz. of Sterling Silver.
It takes about 79.3 ml of nitric acid to dissolve 1 troy ounce of
copper."
If you use copper for inquarting, you'll end up using twice as much nitric, & then some.
The reason why I used copper was because I had trouble digesting the silver.
The reason I had trouble was, because I didn't incinerate after inquarting & making shells in tap water. :roll: I learned what I was doing wrong, so now I incinerate before starting to digest & no more problems.
I recommend you search & learn to do it the right & efficient way from the beginning. I garantee you'll be much happier @ the end with doing so.
By using sterling for inquarting, for example, you'll refine the silver to .99 & the gold to .99 in one step, thus saving on nitric. Then you can run your gold thru AR & get it .999. (You can always save your silver nitrate for later refining.) Then add copper to your silver nitrate, like Butcher recommends, cement your silver; rinse, melt into anodes for refining in your silver cell & refine into .999 crystals.
You'll end up saving time & nitric. :mrgreen:
Take care!
Phil
