Silver recovery question

[oldtimmer]

I have just finished my first batch of silver contacts that I collected in the mid 1970's. Trying to finish up the rinse and melt it down.

Last night when I finished work, the silver nitrate was being cemented out by copper. Everything went according to what I had expected to see. Nice green color from the copper nitrate. This morning when I start work to finish up, I find the the solution is now a wonderful sky blue (see picture). What is the blue solution? I expect it is copper, but copper what. Also, as I have not been worrying about other PM, should I test the solution for any other PM?

Flask on the left is the solution from the recovery, the right is from the first wash with the silver still on the bottom. I started with a 10 oz. chunk of unknown silver alloy.

Thanks,

dave

 

[qst42know]

Copper nitrate is blue. Save this for charging the silver cell, see lazersteve's post. Test a drop or two of solution with table salt or HCL watching for white curds of silver. The drop should turn copper chloride green.

This is Steve's post.

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=2868&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=copper+nitrate+cell

It can be evaporated down to store.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper(II)_nitrate

 

[Juan Manuel Arcos Frank]

Oldtimmer:

Silver cementation with copper works well but it is important to dissolve the nitric solution of silver nitrate/nitric acid with distilled water to avoid the reversible process,I mean,nitric acid could redissolve your silver.

If your silver contacts come from relays check your solution with stannous chloride because it could have palladium or gold

Regards

Manuel