New female trying to learn this thing

[kellieC]

So i have read and watched tons of videos and im still a little confused on this process. Im someone who loves to learn and i was told by many that females cant do this so im out to prove some ppl wrong but i also am very interested in this as a hobby.

 

[kellieC]

So i have read and watched tons of videos and im still a little confused on this process. Im someone who loves to learn and i was told by many that females cant do this so im out to prove some ppl wrong but i also am very interested in this as a hobby.

I have the first chemical step understood that iits muraiatic acid and hydrogen peroxide 2:1 and thats tge farthest i would appreciate any suggestions but i would appreciate it if u suggest something that u have personally taken that step so u truely can say u

 

[Darkthirty]

Welcome KellieC! This is an international forum, abbreviations do not translate well. Spelling is very important when dealing with hazardous chemicals and processes. To get up to speed you need to read Hoke's book on refining precious metals. You'll find that in the library, along with a literal treasure of related knowledge.

 

[eaglekeeper]

I have the first chemical step understood that iits muraiatic acid and hydrogen peroxide 2:1 and thats tge farthest i would appreciate any suggestions but i would appreciate it if u suggest something that u have personally taken that step so u truely can say u

Welcome....

What type of material do you plan on processing?... because each type of material, generally requires it's own process.

 

[Shark]

When you find Ms. C.M. Hoke’s book you will find she was a female also. She wrote the book and it is still the basis that many here learned the basics of refining, men and women alike. Look for the signature sign under Frugalrefiner’s post for links to a PDF file of the book.

Good Luck, and don’t forget to have fun while learning.

 

[nickvc]

Welcome to the forum.
I think anyone can learn to refine but the emphasis is on the learning part, we are dealing with some of the most chemically resistant metals around so the reactions and reagents used and the reactions created can be and usually are dangerous so please read and learn before you start so you know what to expect and what dangers may be involved.
You can do this but if you are a little uncertain please post what you intend to do before you begin so we can advise and help so you can be successful, many have started this course but many have also left because they create one or more toxic messes and have lost heart.

 

[Yggdrasil]

So i have read and watched tons of videos and im still a little confused on this process. Im someone who loves to learn and i was told by many that females cant do this so im out to prove some ppl wrong but i also am very interested in this as a hobby.

Welcome to us.
Of course females can do this, you need only brains and very little strength for this.

Unless it is from reputable posters like Sreetips, Aquila, Owltech and a few others, drop the you tube.

But please use proper language, many of our members use translators to understand,
and text lingo like "ppl" and other abbreviations do not translate well.

Here is for your studies:

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

https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/gold-refining-forum-rules.31182/

 

[Yggdrasil]

I have the first chemical step understood that iits muraiatic acid and hydrogen peroxide 2:1 and thats tge farthest i would appreciate any suggestions but i would appreciate it if u suggest something that u have personally taken that step so u truely can say u

Please reread and explain what you are attempting to do in your first step.

 

[Martijn]

I have the first chemical step understood that iits muraiatic acid and hydrogen peroxide 2:1 and thats tge farthest i would appreciate any suggestions but i would appreciate it if u suggest something that u have personally taken that step so u truely can say u

If its AP you're referring to, that's to much peroxide. It all may seem very simple, but can prove to be very complicated.
You actually don't need H2O2 at all.
Just a but of oxidized copper, HCl and an aquarium air bubbler is enough to start.

HCl + H2O2 is a refining process to dissolve gold.

The peroxide can be used to start oxidizing the first copper into copper chloride(AP), the etchant that actually dissolves the copper. But there is the danger of possibly dissolving gold.

AP (yes it has Peroxide in the name but stìll is not needed) is a recovery process to dislodge gold foils from copper traces by dissolving the copper from underneath.

Read hoke and study the links given. Ask if you have questions.
An interesting paper:

 

[richoc]

Hi, and Welcome to the forum.

As for the gender issues with refining metals, please read C.M Hokes book and check the gender of author.

Please disregard learning from videos, as a lot of these video posters are acid wasters and boil of huge amounts of acid into the air in their area for no reason other than they do not want to change. They purposely sabotage the videos they attempt using other methods, leave out key steps like water needs to be distilled water, not tap water, even ice cubes should be from distilled water as tap waters are containing more and more things.
I ruined my first processing attempt because of the additives in my city's water, turned chalk white and I could never get the gold out of it. Sent the mess to my Guru and not sure He ever got the values out of the mess.

1. Find a material that you are going to work with.( I.E. Gold filled)
2. Figure out the process that seams best to you for processing your chosen material.
3. Set up all the equipment and PPE you will need for this process.
4. Make a procedure flow chart with all steps laid for you to follow.
5. Figure out waste storage and processing for the waste produced from your chosen method.
6. Start small, take notes and come back with clear questions for the issues your writing down in the note book.

 

[kellieC]

Gold

Welcome....

What type of material do you plan on processing?... because each type of material, generally requires it's own process.

 

[kellieC]

Thank you to all that replied I'm on my way to reading the book now.

 

[kaisernine]

That is the end goal, what are you trying to process the "gold" from? - jewelry, ore, electronics, plating - scrap?

 

[galenrog]

That is the end goal, what are you trying to process the "gold" from? - jewelry, ore, electronics, plating - scrap?

Additionally, each of the above categories has several subcategories, each of which presents its own challenges and recovery techniques.

Until gold is properly recovered, it can not be refined.

Time for more coffee.

 

[Aglooper]

So i have read and watched tons of videos and im still a little confused on this process. Im someone who loves to learn and i was told by many that females cant do this so im out to prove some ppl wrong but i also am very interested in this as a hobby.

Hi, I’m sorry to inform you that there was a female or two ahead of you that knew quite a bit about precious metal refining. One lady in particular was Miss Hoke, she’s as famous as any refiner in the business today, unfortunately she past away decades ago. The book she publishes in 1946??some refiners call their Bible. Besides you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

 

[kurtak]

i was told by many that females cant do this

that is just to funny (& VERY closed minded IMO)

For what it is worth - about 13 - 14 years ago I helped to set up a refining lab at a scrap yard - the other person that helped in setting up that lab was a women - she was a VERY good refiner

I am currently working on a job doing finish carpentry (the part of carpentry that puts the finishing touches on a house & makes it look like a home - MUCH more skill required then a simple framing carpenter) the other person I am working with in a women - she is a VERY good finish carpenter - in fact - as good if not better then a lot of men I have worked with

So go get em girl - you are likely to out do them

Be sure to read Ms. C. M. Hokes book - SHE has taught a lot of men how to refine

Kurt

 

[Martijn]

i was told by many that females cant do this

Don't listen to those underdeveloped Neanderthals. Gender has nothing to do with intelligence or learning capacity.
Some male 'scientists' in the past were only messengers for the ladies who did the science, but were not allowed to speak in the men's club.
The sky is your limit and you do not have to prove anything to anyone, certainly not amongst us.

 

[4metals]

i was told by many that females can't do this

I have set up a respectable number of refineries and trained many refiners and assayers and I can attest to the fact that what you have been told is BS!

In a large refinery I can understand the thought that it is a man's job because of the heavy lifting and moving of drums of chemicals and waste as well as hand pouring heavy bars. But that thought is solely because men are thought to be stronger than women. In fact, for that very reason, firemen were once all men. But that too has changed. I would never hire a 100 pound woman to do heavy physical labor such as moving full drums of acid and loading and unloading heavy incinerator trays, but, for the same reasons, I wouldn't hire a 100 pound man for that task either.

Today small and medium sized refineries who take in a lot of karat gold scrap, melt. it into bars, sample it, and ship it to major refineries. This is for both cash flow reasons and economy of scale. The process of large scale karat refining does require some heavy lifting. But the process of chemical stone removal and fire assaying is done in these houses because of both turn around time and those processes have better profit margins. Considering most chemical stone removal lots are done on lots less than 50 ounces, the heavy lifting aspect does not exist and I have trained many women to do stone removal. The same is true with fire assaying.

For the above stated reasons, I feel that there is definitely a place for women in the refinery. And they should be paid the same as a man would be paid for the same work!