Non-Assayable Ores

[Yggdrasil]

That will be worth to try. I am having some issue for flux, as it need too too much basic flux to become liqued. And very high heat. I am having problem to have any pot or I am thinking to look for induction. But again induction need something that stay with such highly acidic ore.

You talk about a video. Can I have the link

You need to use a proper Crucible and tune your flux to the ore.
Add some Fluorspar or Cryolite to thin the flux.

When you get your Iron you don’t need much flux, just a slag cover and start blowing Oxygen into the molten metal.

Do some research on sparging.

 

[Ismael123]

I have no link.
It was a program on TV years ago.

How I can oxidise iron from iron bars?

 

[Ismael123]

You need to use a proper Crucible and tune your flux to the ore.
Add some Fluorspar or Cryolite to thin the flux.

When you get your Iron you don’t need much flux, just a slag cover and start blowing Oxygen into the molten metal.

Do some research on sparging.

Let me see on this. It's really helpful.

 

[Ismael123]

You need to use a proper Crucible and tune your flux to the ore.
Add some Fluorspar or Cryolite to thin the flux.

When you get your Iron you don’t need much flux, just a slag cover and start blowing Oxygen into the molten metal.

Do some research on sparging.

Thanks alot man, you really open some lines of written process for me.

I have two main issues.
1 , tests shows silver and rhodium present , when we process/smelt, bars or acids not show any of both. But slag shows silver and rh. We resmelt/redissolve slag, same results. Values still in slag. What's the problem could be.(While rest values are enough but Rh has good quantity, worth to recover)

Second, I read somewhere of sparging the melt with jet water to break iron in pieces. It was reletive to ore processing. But yet can not understand it's mathod to oxidise iron. It says it works to properly mix the molten metals. I can not understand

 

[Yggdrasil]

Thanks alot man, you really open some lines of written process for me.

I have two main issues.
1 , tests shows silver and rhodium present , when we process/smelt, bars or acids not show any of both. But slag shows silver and rh. We resmelt/redissolve slag, same results. Values still in slag. What's the problem could be.(While rest values are enough but Rh has good quantity, worth to recover)

Second, I read somewhere of sparging the melt with jet water to break iron in pieces. It was reletive to ore processing. But yet can not understand it's mathod to oxidise iron. It says it works to properly mix the molten metals. I can not understand

You can not sparge with liquid as the definition is pumping a gas through a molten media.
How did you measure the slag? ICP?

The Oxygen sparging is when you pump pure air or Oxygen into the bottom of the molten metal through a tube.
The Oxygen will then combine with the Iron and form Iron Oxide which floats to the top and goes into the slag.

 

[Ismael123]

You can not sparge with liquid as the definition is pumping a gas through a molten media.
How did you measure the slag? ICP?

The Oxygen sparging is when you pump pure air or Oxygen into the bottom of the molten metal through a tube.
The Oxygen will then combine with the Iron and form Iron Oxide which floats to the top and goes into the slag.

Yes all the test that are done after melt, are ICP.

Which grade iron should I use as collecter. Because I come to know , the iron I am using as collecter is full of carbon and magnese and silicon. (Cast iron)

 

[Yggdrasil]

Yes all the test that are done after melt, are ICP.

Which grade iron should I use as collecter. Because I come to know , the iron I am using as collecter is full of carbon and magnese and silicon. (Cast iron)

Now I'm confused.
You did not say you added Iron.
Your ore have enough Iron in it to act as collector don't it?
Just make sure you have enough Carbon in it so it is reduced.

Any way you do it it needs to be milled quite fine and homogeneous before smelting.
Add all the ore and flux in a ball mill and let it run til it is smooth and fine.
Then you can move it to the crucible.

 

[Ismael123]

Now I'm confused.
You did not say you added Iron.
Your ore have enough Iron in it to act as collector don't it?
Just make sure you have enough Carbon in it so it is reduced.

Any way you do it it needs to be milled quite fine and homogeneous before smelting.
Add all the ore and flux in a ball mill and let it run til it is smooth and fine.
Then you can move it to the crucible.

I tried both mathod. No iron added. With iron as collecter. And I tried it without flux too. Last one was bad idea.
It's good option to grind with flux.
I am concentrating ore by saperation sulfides and magnetic fraction. I will try these mathods on concentrate.
One thing I get from papers, more stay in heat after melt, is batter to collect all metals in bottom. I will try all this on raw ore and on concentrates.
Thanks for your guidance.
I am not getting any stuff that is good enough to blow oxygen , an argon purging ladle is come in my mind but can not find something like rods type. To insert in molten iron and blow oxygen

 

[PeterM]

This topic is quit interesting but no one discuss ahead. I wish this should be the longest post of the forum.
There are many things that are still to be consider.

Ismael123, yes it a long post, yet it’s gotten little attention since I started it over a year ago. My level of precious metal extraction is nothing like or compared to refining scrap karat Gold or PGM’s. However, I started out refining scrap got bored with it and moved on to its source matrix about 47 years ago. I wish everyone here success.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Ismael123, yes it a long post, yet it’s gotten little attention since I started it over a year ago. My level of precious metal extraction is nothing like or compared to refining scrap karat Gold or PGM’s. However, I started out refining scrap got bored with it and moved on to its source matrix about 47 years ago. I wish everyone here success.

Good to see you back.
I saved your post since it was in lone with a major discussion at the time it was posted. Additionally it was over my head at the time so I needed to study it some more.
It is still a bit over my head but I'm getting there I hope.

Nice setup.
Do you do much of you processing outside?

 

[Ismael123]

Ismael123, yes it a long post, yet it’s gotten little attention since I started it over a year ago. My level of precious metal extraction is nothing like or compared to refining scrap karat Gold or PGM’s. However, I started out refining scrap got bored with it and moved on to its source matrix about 47 years ago. I wish everyone here success.

I read you post many time. There are still many things to describe. How about your book? Is that avail now.

I wish to have more description from you.

 

[Ismael123]

Now I'm confused.
You did not say you added Iron.
Your ore have enough Iron in it to act as collector don't it?
Just make sure you have enough Carbon in it so it is reduced.

Any way you do it it needs to be milled quite fine and homogeneous before smelting.
Add all the ore and flux in a ball mill and let it run til it is smooth and fine.
Then you can move it to the crucible.

The problem in my mind is, which type of iron is good as collecter. I have mostly local remelted iron. With a lot of magnese and carbon content. With a high amount of silicone added. Pgms can be complex if melted with silicone. What's the openion

 

[Yggdrasil]

The problem in my mind is, which type of iron is good as collecter. I have mostly local remelted iron. With a lot of magnese and carbon content. With a high amount of silicone added. Pgms can be complex if melted with silicone. What's the openion

If you are going to add a collector you should use Copper and then run it through a electrolytic cell after.
I had the impression you used the Iron content in the ore as collector.
You do not add bars or even buttons and if you planned to add Iron, I'd reconsider.
You add fine Copper powder and mix it intimately with the ore and flux in a ball mill before smelting.

 

[PeterM]

Sir, personally I don’t take any outside work. I don’t even refine to purity any longer, refineries do a better job and faster especially dealing with waste and security. I’m old and slow, going at my own pace. As to the book it’s pretty much complete just no desire to complete at this moment. After investigating the final touches, outsiders and publishers want it all before you make a nickel. This is a small niche that not 100 people worldwide are interested and only two percent would attempt.

 

[Shark]

Sir, personally I don’t take any outside work. I don’t even refine to purity any longer, refineries do a better job and faster especially dealing with waste and security. I’m old and slow, going at my own pace. As to the book it’s pretty much complete just no desire to complete at this moment. After investigating the final touches, outsiders and publishers want it all before you make a nickel. This is a small niche that not 100 people worldwide are interested and only two percent would attempt.

Love that picture!

 

[Ismael123]

If you are going to add a collector you should use Copper and then run it through a electrolytic cell after.
I had the impression you used the Iron content in the ore as collector.
You do not add bars or even buttons and if you planned to add Iron, I'd reconsider.
You add fine Copper powder and mix it intimately with the ore and flux in a ball mill before smelting.

A high heat and a long heat duration , decide to avoid lead and copper.
I practice with copper but gold is found on top of the bar only with a very slim layer. Assurely copper is not collecting fine particles.
Rest about pgms, we find only iron from ore mix with copper and small portion of ir in xrf , which is mostly wrong.
That's why I avoid copper.

 

[Yggdrasil]

A high heat and a long heat duration , decide to avoid lead and copper.
I practice with copper but gold is found on top of the bar only with a very slim layer. Assurely copper is not collecting fine particles.
Rest about pgms, we find only iron from ore mix with copper and small portion of ir in xrf , which is mostly wrong.
That's why I avoid copper.

If there is no Gold in the Copper there is something wrong with your smelting process.
Gold alloys happily with Copper same as Lead.

 

[PeterM]

The problem in my mind is, which type of iron is good as collecter. I have mostly local remelted iron. With a lot of magnese and carbon content. With a high amount of silicone added. Pgms can be complex if melted with silicone. What's the openion

I believe that iron is your best friend as a collector, some major refineries use it to precipitate. In my experience iron ores, largely Hematite carries a lot of gold along with sulfur. But, in order to even see this gold it must be ground -400 mesh. A rod mill gave me the best results, then table it on your Wifley. It’s what I have done with great success.