Small crystal question...

[JustinNH]

Hey-

I had a batch of AR (poor man's). It consisted of crushed CPUs, with lids removed. I recovered some gold and some silver (as AgCl, which i converted to elemental silver via methods here, thanks!) so I know there was silver in the solution....

After I filtered it all, there were some tiny crystals that made it past the filters (I only used coffee filters). They are about 1/8" to 1/10th" and smaller, clearish white when I first saw them. Now that I have them washed and in a vial, they appear to be very very light purple/grey but still generally white. They are thinner than a needle... very very thin and when shaken (im keeping them in water incase it is silver chloride) they settle quite fast.

They are insoluable in water, both hot and cold and because of that and the slight color change, i would think they are AgCl... but they do not look like the other stuff I recovered before this.

Is that what it is? I tried to take a picture, but my camera couldnt show the detail needed.

I have not tried a HCl bath as Im not sure if i want to keep them as is or convert to whatever they are. They do look pretty neat. :wink:

 

[JustinNH]

Just checked it again and it definately has a purple tint to it now... Ive put it in a container to block it from light.

Is it best for AgCl to not be exposed to light, or does it not matter ?(providing this is, but any way is a good thing to know).

Thanks again,

 

[lazersteve]

Justin,

Take a small sample and add HCl, if you get a dark brown/green colored solution they are likely copper I chloride. It comes in many shades depending on contaminates. It can precipitate after filtering when rinse water is added to highly acidic solutions.

If it doesn't dissolve let us know.

Steve

 

[nicknitro]

Not Tin, Steve, Stannous Chloride from solder in the chips. Just my two cents.

 

[JustinNH]

I'll let you know the results when i get home tonight, thanks

 

[JustinNH]

Nope, the crystals will not dissolve in room temp or even heated HCl...
:?:

 

[lazersteve]

Justin,

If a sample of the crystals changes color when exposed to bright light, then you have silver chloride, if not I'm betting it's lead chloride.

Steve

 

[JustinNH]

Thanks for the confirmation. Thats what I originally thought, but as I mentioned, I have never seen silver chloride look like this. Yeah, they definately changed from clear/white to a white/purple with a hint of grey.

I think I'll keep this sample to show off. I'd like to keep little vials of all the different things.

Thanks again,