Precipitating from sulfuric acid

[thomasjake784]

I have been doing some research into home refining of the 'Noble Metals'. I am rather intrigued and interested in this. It could be quite profitable, though rather dangerous which is why i will not even think of trying it untill ive researched more AND obtained the proper equipment.

according to my research thus far, one of the so-called noble metals, Rhodium i think, cannot be disolved in aqua regia. please correct me if i have stated the wrong metal.

so far as i can tell, sulfuric acid is the only chemical that can dissolve said metal, and this is where myy questions come in:

1.: what would be the proper and/or best way to precipitate said metal from the sulfuric acid?

2.: can the same chemical precipitants be used for sulfuric acid as is used for aqua regia?

3.: if the answer to question 2 is no, then what chemical precipitants can be used?

(please kindly excuse any misspellings)

 

[jimdoc]

Where do you plan on finding rhodium to "home refine"?

Jim

 

[thomasjake784]

from, unless i am mistaken, spent catalytic converters. i know a few guys whom run an auto shop, for example.

 

[goldsilverpro]

from, unless i am mistaken, spent catalytic converters. i know a few guys whom run an auto shop, for example.

You should start with something where you might hope to have success. An amateur recovering rhodium from cats does not fit into that category. You could not have picked something more difficult.

 

[Lino1406]

Rhodium is the minor part, the major being palladium and
platinum. And make sure you'll have a buyer for all in the amorphous state

 

[thomasjake784]

like i said, right now its just research. i still have much more to figure out. like safe, prpper, and leagal disposal of the used chemicals. much the young grasshopper i still am here.

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

Thomasjake,
This link is a thread by a member on the logistics of cat refining.
http://goldrefiningforum.com/~goldrefi/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=20573

I think its a valuable read for anyone that is lured by the possibility of making money of them, beyond selling the cats to a bulk buyer (or saving truckloads of decanned cats to a refiner)

 

[anachronism]

What GSP is saying is basically pick your battles. There are better things and more profitable things to cut your teeth on young padawan.

 

[thomasjake784]

right now, i just want to figure out 3, maybe more if i need to, processes that will refine the PM's to bullion lvl purity. im planning on at least 3 stages/steps towards that end and will add steps/stages if its is needed. soursces of materials are, at this point, a bit irrelevant until i know more about what to do and how to do it.

i also will need to know about proper disposal methods as well for when its time for me to dispose of my spent electrolytes/chemicals.

to put it in a more simple way, i wanna know what i am doing so that i wil be able to have a better idea of how to budget this project for minimum expence and maximum profit.

 

[patnor1011]

Well after 8 years of recovery and refining I do know one thing.
I would not touch cats even if I get them for free. I am not scared of work but I do not want to work for free. When you will factor all costs associated there will be not much left. Not to mention that in your case you will have to invest considerable amount of time to get to know how to do it and to get practice to be able to use that knowledge.
It is unlikely that you will be able to turn profit trying wet refining of them in home conditions.

 

[thomasjake784]

the main issue here, then, is that the only source of rhodium, platinum, and palladium i know of IS catalytic converters.

like i said, still much the young grasshopper/padawan i am. and i'll be the first to admit it.

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

Read Hoke's book refining precious metals, found in frugalrefiner and other's signature line. It will get you well on the way.

Also visit the library and read the dealing with waste thread by 4metals. (read the entire library here... Seriously, it will benefit you greatly)

And, also, the type of material you are working on is *very* relevant, as most things require different processes or techniques.
HCl and heat, nitric and water, acid peroxide, aqua regia, hcl-bleach, etc... Each tool has its own specific job and some materials dont play well with certain processes.

Best of luck to you this new year!

 

[kurtak]

the main issue here, then, is that the only source of rhodium, platinum, and palladium i know of IS catalytic converters.

Just because CATs have PGMs in them - DOES NOT - mean you can recover & refine those PGMs (in a home refining set up) in a profitable way :!: :!: :!:

Read my thread (the one Topher provided) the very reason I posted that thread is to explain - in detail - why - in a home refining set up you CAN NOT leach CATs & expect to make a profit - it will cost MORE then you will ever get out of them

Here is (again) the link to that thread :arrow: http://goldrefiningforum.com/~goldrefi/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=20573#p210836

read it :!: :!: :!:

I know you are thinking - ya but - if a big company (like Johnson Matthey) can do it - why can't I

There are to 2 reasons why a "big" company is able to do it - BUT - why a home refiner can NOT do it

1) the big companies have methods of doing it that the home refiner "can not" possibly do - at least not without making a MAJOR investment

2) the big companies do not actually make there money so much on the actual recovery/refining of the PGMs from CATs - their "real" profit is made buy taking the PGMs they recover - & then making "products" out of those PGMs - that they then sell for MANY times more then the price of the listed market "spot" price

Kurt

 

[thomasjake784]

what are a few good sources of scrap to refine, then?

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Here's a list GSP kindly provided: Types of material I would refine.

Dave