I would like to remove the iron from a lot of 14k spring rings before melting them down. I tried a strong solution of sodium bisulfate with heat and letting it soak but it was not enough. I have muriatic, hydrochloric, and nitric acid available. Can someone tell me what the process would be? I don’t have a fume hood and until I do, don’t really want to make Aqua Regia and go through the whole refining process. Thanks
Removing iron from 14k spring rings
- Thread starter Ede
- Start date
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Under 50 grams. I have an aquarium air pump. How long would you suggest with the hydrochloric and air pump? I have an organic vapor respirator, but where should this be done without a fume hood? Also, where do you store the used solution? Thanks
For 50 grams a 1.5 liter glass container would do. If the respirator actually produces oxygen it may be too strong and cause a tiny bit of gold to go into solution. It should cement back out and be fine.
Do this away from anything that may rust. HCl will cause anything in the area to rust eventually and the more volume the larger the area the fumes will affect.
A five gallon bucket can be made into a workable fumehood or container for lots this small. And it will help contain any small splash’s from the air bubbles bursting. There are many good posts on the forum for making a home built fumehood.
I use 6 gallon plastic buckets (5 gallon are more common) with lids and store them in a small shed away from anything I want to protect until I am ready to process the waste stream.
For the volume your working with, it would be easier to learn the AP process and waste clean up before starting a new lot. I have run AP in 1.5 liter beakers to test materials with no problem while using a 5 gallon bucket with a loose fitting lid to keep excess exposure to a minimum.
Edit for clarity.
Do this away from anything that may rust. HCl will cause anything in the area to rust eventually and the more volume the larger the area the fumes will affect.
A five gallon bucket can be made into a workable fumehood or container for lots this small. And it will help contain any small splash’s from the air bubbles bursting. There are many good posts on the forum for making a home built fumehood.
I use 6 gallon plastic buckets (5 gallon are more common) with lids and store them in a small shed away from anything I want to protect until I am ready to process the waste stream.
For the volume your working with, it would be easier to learn the AP process and waste clean up before starting a new lot. I have run AP in 1.5 liter beakers to test materials with no problem while using a 5 gallon bucket with a loose fitting lid to keep excess exposure to a minimum.
Edit for clarity.
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It took me 4 days to do a pair of eye glasses in AP. The fifth day I filtered out the gold foils and ran them in AR.
If the weather is cool it may take longer, and time will be more weather dependent based on the actual temperature.
Take your time and allow it to take how ever long it takes. This isn’t something that can be rushed to well without more understanding of how and why the science works. In the end, a nice piece of gold will be the reward.
If the weather is cool it may take longer, and time will be more weather dependent based on the actual temperature.
Take your time and allow it to take how ever long it takes. This isn’t something that can be rushed to well without more understanding of how and why the science works. In the end, a nice piece of gold will be the reward.
They were gold filled and I cut them in pieces about two to three inch’s long. It left most of the pieces whole. A few broke up due to the amount of air pressure I used in the AP. I like to have the air bubbling as vigorous as I can without overly splashing the solution.
