cloomis
Well-known member
What can sodium hydroxide be used for in the gold or silver refining process? AR? HCL/P.
sodium hydroxide
- Thread starter cloomis
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junkelly
Well-known member
NaOH can be used to raise the pH-make more basic.
I use NaOH to strip silver x-ray films. I thought that was the only way, but then I read that bleach also works. I will use bleach in the future if it works as well.
-junkelly
I use NaOH to strip silver x-ray films. I thought that was the only way, but then I read that bleach also works. I will use bleach in the future if it works as well.
-junkelly
Don't use bleach. It really stinks, it's corrosive, and you end up with AgCl, which has to be converted to Ag before you melt it. Also, it's inefficient - you'll always lose some. With Caustic soda (NaOH), you end up with a product that you can directly melt after you incinerate it. No matter what you use, you have to incinerate it to burn off the emulsion. With 10%, w/v Caustic soda, it will strip in a few minutes at about 100 deg. F.
For about 5 years, I ran about 1000# of film per day in a refinery I owned. I tried everything, including bleach, and ended up using 10% Caustic soda. The safest thing I used was enzyme/baking soda, but it stinks too much (the essence of a septic tank) for me. The big guys use enzymes or about 3 to 4% Caustic soda @ 200 deg F for about 45 minutes, in their huge mixers. No bleach. I guarantee that you'll hate bleach. Stick with the caustic soda. You'll be a much happier person.
For about 5 years, I ran about 1000# of film per day in a refinery I owned. I tried everything, including bleach, and ended up using 10% Caustic soda. The safest thing I used was enzyme/baking soda, but it stinks too much (the essence of a septic tank) for me. The big guys use enzymes or about 3 to 4% Caustic soda @ 200 deg F for about 45 minutes, in their huge mixers. No bleach. I guarantee that you'll hate bleach. Stick with the caustic soda. You'll be a much happier person.
