A
Anonymous
Guest
Here is a link worth looking at, not sure if I found it here or just through surfing.
http://www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/SiteID=199458
http://www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/SiteID=199458
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Irons
Well-known member
If you are planning to try this method, beware that Arsenic combines with Ammonium compounds and forms materials that are volatile and easily absorbed in the body. It's a quick way to kill yourself.
Ores containing PGM's usually contain large amounts of Arsenic. Sperrylite PtAs2 is a common form of native Platinum ore.
Cats are a different story, don't confuse the two.
Ores containing PGM's usually contain large amounts of Arsenic. Sperrylite PtAs2 is a common form of native Platinum ore.
Cats are a different story, don't confuse the two.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I like this link for the cat scrap data, I am not interested in any dangerous process for recovering the pgms.
Irons
Well-known member
It was not directed at anyone in particular.
There are a lot of people on this board that have no training in chemistry or handling hazardous materials or the implications of using a given process.
Many ores that contain precious metals as sulphides and arsenides. Using the wrong chemicals can generate lethal gasses that can kill you very quickly.
I speak from experience. Arsenic poisoning is a very painful way to die. I was almost killed by it last year and still suffer effects from it.
There are a lot of people on this board that have no training in chemistry or handling hazardous materials or the implications of using a given process.
Many ores that contain precious metals as sulphides and arsenides. Using the wrong chemicals can generate lethal gasses that can kill you very quickly.
I speak from experience. Arsenic poisoning is a very painful way to die. I was almost killed by it last year and still suffer effects from it.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Thanks for the warning, you have alll done a fantastic job of stressing the use of caution when dealing with certain chemicals, job well done. I hope you have not suffered to much permanent damage from your incident.
On a brighter note,
What is your take on just smelting the pgm material with the proper flux to seperate and purify the different pgms.
On a brighter note,
What is your take on just smelting the pgm material with the proper flux to seperate and purify the different pgms.
Irons
Well-known member
tannawanna said:
Thank You, I'm just trying to prevent someone else from falling in the same hole.
Won't work.
Separating the Platinum group metals is difficult, even under the best of circumstances.
If you read the Hoke book, it explains it quite well.
To get separation and purity that is very easy with Gold requires equipment and skill way beyond what is described on this site. About the best you can hope for is to get sufficiently pure metals where you won't be penalized for contaminants.
Most refineries buy Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium and sometimes Ruthenium and Iridium. Usually, Osmium, Rhenium, Iridium and Ruthenium are present in such small amounts that it is uneconomical to pay the refining charges that are levied by the refineries and they end up 'Coining in', in other words, they get them for free.
If your source of PGMs contains the minor metals, only an assay will determine if it is economical to refine the metals with sufficient return to offset the charges levied by the refinery.
The Stillwater Palladium Mine is a massive operation with their own smelter and even they send their metals to be refined by someone else. If they can't refine their own PGMs economically, what would make you think you could do otherwise?
I'm not trying to demean your skills, just trying to be realistic.
I wish it was that easy (separating PGMs with the use of fluxes)!
To be frank with you, some of the chemistry can get real bad, real quick. By bad I mean interesting. The best way to learn is to pick up a couple good chemistry books and a couple grams of each of the PGMs and hit the laboratory. Not insult Hoke's book (which I have finally read, and enjoyed--it is excellent in its pragmatic explanations) but it is lacking on PGM chemistry and gives several flat notices that "unless you are a chemist..." and says how difficult some of it can be. She's right. Each of the metals have their quirks and peculiarities and the way you go about separating depends on which of the sisters are there and in what concentrations.
I learn something new about the PGMs on a very frequent basis. Couple weeks ago I figured out a couple routes to RuO4. I'm probably going to see if it holds true with osmium as well.
Lou
To be frank with you, some of the chemistry can get real bad, real quick. By bad I mean interesting. The best way to learn is to pick up a couple good chemistry books and a couple grams of each of the PGMs and hit the laboratory. Not insult Hoke's book (which I have finally read, and enjoyed--it is excellent in its pragmatic explanations) but it is lacking on PGM chemistry and gives several flat notices that "unless you are a chemist..." and says how difficult some of it can be. She's right. Each of the metals have their quirks and peculiarities and the way you go about separating depends on which of the sisters are there and in what concentrations.
I learn something new about the PGMs on a very frequent basis. Couple weeks ago I figured out a couple routes to RuO4. I'm probably going to see if it holds true with osmium as well.
Lou
Irons
Well-known member
One of the real-world tests to see if you have good quality Platinum is to see if you can roll it out in a sheet without cracking.
Harold posted some pics a while back of some platinum he refined and had rolled out into a flat strip.
If you can refine Platinum that is pure enough to look like that, then you made the grade.
Harold posted some pics a while back of some platinum he refined and had rolled out into a flat strip.
If you can refine Platinum that is pure enough to look like that, then you made the grade.
