retrieving silver from electric contacts

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hello I have alot of contacts or points that I'm pretty well sure have silver contacts I was just curious if its better to sell the copper or try and get the silver. Also is there any kind of test to distinguish the difference in silver and aluminum or gold and brass/bronze to me they have similar colors and I know ther are numerous alloys. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks bigm123
 
I recently found some contacts that are magnetic, I suspect a cobalt platinum alloy. The contacts are about the size of an aspirin and 1/3 the thickness. They were removed from very old electric range rheostats. Perhaps GSP or Harold would verify this about the old platinum alloyed contacts being attracted to a magnet. Be good to know for a quick sort.
 
If they have cobalt, they will be magnetic.


If you want to confirm you can send me a few pounds and I'd be glad to test 'em out :p (joking).

In all seriousness, I bet nitric acid would not dissolve them. That might be a good indication of what they are.

Seems odd to use Pt/Co for contacts.
 
Thanks Lou for your advise I'll soak them in a bit of nitric an see what happens.

Here I have them attached to a HD magnet, not sure if you'll be able to get a proper color perspective of the contacts. Had then soaking in HCI for 2 days trying to get rid of the tramp metal.

The electric range was perhaps early 50's, wished I had now at least taken the time to note who the manufacture was of the rheostats was before smashing the Bakelite housing.

Best Regards
Gill
 
Lou said:
If they have cobalt, they will be magnetic.


If you want to confirm you can send me a few pounds and I'd be glad to test 'em out :p (joking).

In all seriousness, I bet nitric acid would not dissolve them. That might be a good indication of what they are.

Seems odd to use Pt/Co for contacts.
Click to expand...

Lou subjecting the contacts to hot nitric removed all the tramp metal leaving a thin wafer behind. I tried to score the wafer with a sharp knife, it will not scratch.

Is it possible to determine if these wafers are a cobalt/platinum alloy, with out further testing.
 
Good deal then - I thought this post was under the silver heading. I must have misread! I know a lot of silver contacts do contain cadium and its dangerous and difficult to seperate or refine out. I will read your noted post on silver / cadium when I get back to my computer and off my blackberry!

Glynn
 

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