recover AG from AR solution after using SMB

[gem3]

Hi all,

I just refined about 350gr dirt from my bench and from the floor. Before I burned all the dirt before refining and tried to have my 18Kt gold but because of the dirt the gold wouldn't melt. I had to use a lot of borax which gave me at the end more dirt in the form of borax with gold remainings.

So I did not burn it anymore but refined all the dirt in 2 Liters AR.
I followed the whole process (after reading hoke's) and knocked down the gold with SMB.

I've got a nice result without problems. To wash the fumes I use a self made flask that contains 15L 8) Natrium hydroxide (29% pure).
The toxic fumes have been washed away without any harm for nature.
I was able to recover all the AU using SMB. Tests showed no AU was present anymore.

But now I have about 8 Liters clear green solution (AR based) which contains my silver.

I've read alot on this forum and also about the danger of explosion when using ammonia to recover the silver.
I think there may be 200 grams or more AG in that solution but is it worth the danger to recover and which method would you use to recover the silver in this stage ?

 

[butcher]

I do not quite understand, AgCl silver chloride is insoluble in aqua regia, some silver can dissolve as a higher oxidation state AgCl2 in the concentrated solution, it will not be that much and diluting the aqua regia will precipitate it out as insoluble AgCl.

Normally silver is removed from solution before you precipitate the gold.

Have you been studying Hoke's book, I do not see why anyone would attempt recovery or refining without understanding what the book teaches.

 

[gem3]

ok Butcher so I made a mistake.
I will read that part of hook's book over again.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[butcher]

Check the stuff that did not dissolve for your silver chloride.

 

[gem3]

The silver is gone, no problem.

Today I wanted to melt my brown powder but I can not melt it to a nice piece. It is certainly 24Kt but it refuses to melt.
My (new) crusible has a rusty dust after melting. I've never encountered such.

Could this be due the fact I did not rinse the brown powder enough ?