Refining Alaskan Placer gold

[ReedKidd]

I have read/watches where folks inquart placer gold (30-50 mesh) with silver or copper. Am I able to just start with aqua regia and go from there?
Will I run into any issues? I only have 5 grams to do, I do not want to keep as is or sell as placer.
Thank you for any advice.

 

[Yggdrasil]

No, you do not go to AR directly after inquarting, nitric first.
Search inquarting on the forum and you will have plenty of results.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

ReedKidd, we really only need to inquart gold prior to AR if the silver content is above around ten percent or so.

I don't know if the silver content is higher than 10% where you're gathering. Perhaps other members will know.

Dave

 

[Quiklearner]

Does the size of the placer material account for anything when considering the need to inquart? I have some #16-18 mesh gold and I have been wondering if I can just go straight to nitric boils to remove base metals. These pieces of gold are thin little "chips" with no significant thickness to them.

 

[ReedKidd]

ReedKidd, we really only need to inquart gold prior to AR if the silver content is above around ten percent or so.

I don't know if the silver content is higher than 10% where you're gathering. Perhaps other members will know.

Dave

Thanks Dave. Dave, In another post you mentioned a reference book in your signature. I can not see what/where that is. Was this the Hoke book? Thank you

 

[FrugalRefiner]

If you can't see it in my signature line, I'm going to guess that you're viewing the forum on a cell phone, as this problem has come up before. It's an odd quirk, but other users have found that by turning their phones 90 degrees (to "landscape" mode) the signature line will appear.

Please let me know if you're on a cell phone, and if that works for you. If not, we'll figure out a way to get the book to you. And yes, it is Hoke's book.

Dave

 

[galenrog]

Right you are, Dave. Portrait mode, no signature line. Landscape mode, signature line.

Refining Precious Metal Wastes, by C M Hoke, is probably to most important book written about precious metal refining. Not because it holds secrets not found anywhere else, but rather because it holds most of the information available at the time of its original publication. While safety has improved considerably in 80 years, the basics have not. Read. Read again. Enjoy.

Time for more coffee.

 

[ReedKidd]

Dave, yes, landscape mode works. I can see the links. Been looking for a searchable copy.
Thank you very much.
Reed

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Happy to be able to help.

Dave