- Joined
- Feb 25, 2007
- Messages
- 8,360
If the process in question revolves around melting existing gold with silver, to inquart----guaranteed---the method isn't worth a damn.
Sorry, but that's the way it is.
Reason?
When you electolytically part metals, they are best parted when they are of high purity. Matters not which type of metal you wish to discuss.
I see the logic in suggesting that the gold be alloyed with 75% silver, leaving the gold behind, but in practice there's a couple problems that you have not addressed. One of them is that the gold you'll inquart won't be pure gold----it will be alloyed with copper, silver, nickel and maybe even zinc and cadmium, or some other sacrificial element used to protect the alloy in gold when it's melted.
Net result? The silver that is deposited will be impure---plus the contaminants in the alloy will foul the electrolyte rapidly, drastically limiting it's useful life.
Second problem?
Yep--there is one.
As you remove silver from the inquarted gold, the remaining gold honeycomb will conduct well---eventually isolating the remaining silver and depleting your electrolyte. The operation will slam to a halt, but will start co-depositing copper and palladium (assuming it's present) as it fails.
I do not mean to be rude---but you don't have anything worth protecting---and you can rest assured, others have tried the same thing and failed, just as you will. If you are spending money for a patent, you will be far better served to stop before you have been bled dry. I speak from experience in having tried that very thing with copper. What I learned is that a wise person does not re-invent the wheel when he is not well versed in wheel technology. All too many hair brained ideas appear to be valid ---when in fact they are not----something that escapes you because you don't understand the problems.
One more thing to consider. The industry standard for pure gold is 9995. If your first operation doesn't yield gold of that quality, or greater, it will require further processing. That will pretty much negate any value in using the procedure you outlined----which will yield marginal quality in both silver and gold.
I hope I'm wrong with my assessment. If I am, I am prepared to offer you a public apology.
Harold
Sorry, but that's the way it is.
Reason?
When you electolytically part metals, they are best parted when they are of high purity. Matters not which type of metal you wish to discuss.
I see the logic in suggesting that the gold be alloyed with 75% silver, leaving the gold behind, but in practice there's a couple problems that you have not addressed. One of them is that the gold you'll inquart won't be pure gold----it will be alloyed with copper, silver, nickel and maybe even zinc and cadmium, or some other sacrificial element used to protect the alloy in gold when it's melted.
Net result? The silver that is deposited will be impure---plus the contaminants in the alloy will foul the electrolyte rapidly, drastically limiting it's useful life.
Second problem?
Yep--there is one.
As you remove silver from the inquarted gold, the remaining gold honeycomb will conduct well---eventually isolating the remaining silver and depleting your electrolyte. The operation will slam to a halt, but will start co-depositing copper and palladium (assuming it's present) as it fails.
I do not mean to be rude---but you don't have anything worth protecting---and you can rest assured, others have tried the same thing and failed, just as you will. If you are spending money for a patent, you will be far better served to stop before you have been bled dry. I speak from experience in having tried that very thing with copper. What I learned is that a wise person does not re-invent the wheel when he is not well versed in wheel technology. All too many hair brained ideas appear to be valid ---when in fact they are not----something that escapes you because you don't understand the problems.
One more thing to consider. The industry standard for pure gold is 9995. If your first operation doesn't yield gold of that quality, or greater, it will require further processing. That will pretty much negate any value in using the procedure you outlined----which will yield marginal quality in both silver and gold.
I hope I'm wrong with my assessment. If I am, I am prepared to offer you a public apology.
Harold