budzag
Active member
This is the colour after about a week in the solution
Thiosulfate leach
- Thread starter budzag
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Sulfate is add it to sodium Thiosulfate leach for gold ore
it will help to lower the consume of thiosulfate
but adding too much Sulfate will have a negative effect in the gold leaching .
the formula is simple but .
i don’t have the formula.
cooper sulfate is adding because with 25%-30% ammonia will be a strong Oxidizer
Becareful with Ammonia Fumes can be deadly
tempeture is key in the leaching process
keeping like at 50 F
will help a lot to leaching out the gold from the Ore.
Ore granulation ,for me work better at 200 mesh.
Precipitation
can use Zinc,Iron sulfate
it will help to lower the consume of thiosulfate
but adding too much Sulfate will have a negative effect in the gold leaching .
the formula is simple but .
i don’t have the formula.
cooper sulfate is adding because with 25%-30% ammonia will be a strong Oxidizer
Becareful with Ammonia Fumes can be deadly
tempeture is key in the leaching process
keeping like at 50 F
will help a lot to leaching out the gold from the Ore.
Ore granulation ,for me work better at 200 mesh.
Precipitation
can use Zinc,Iron sulfate
This is black sands concentrate?
Also I used copper to try my cementation. Closer to reactivity that gold and silver. Didn't want copper to come out of solution but exchange leaving gold silver and lead.
Lead will not cement on Copper.
Only PMs and Mercury.
It drops out if in solution correct?
No, lead will stay in solution until you add a few drops of Sulfuric acid.
Well dang. That's good to know. I though it I would have to cupel it after melting but shouldn't have to. Thanks for sharing.
Don't you have a copy of the reactivity series of metals?
You will find it in here or on Google.
Ya. I was thinking lead was below copper. My mistake.
budzag
Active member
Hi, Yes this is black sands concentrate correct. Run from my shaker. I'm wanting to use this up/test before I start on my ore. I have about 15 buckets of nice looking sulfide ore once I get this sorted
budzag
Active member
Hi there, how would you know when the Thiosulfate has been consumed by the copper sulfate and then I guess you would just add more thiosulfate to the mix. It's like I'm the mad professor. A pinch of this, a few drops of that. There must be a correct formula out there I have had a read but alot is over my head when they start with chemistry formulas ect.Sulfate is add it to sodium Thiosulfate leach for gold ore
it will help to lower the consume of thiosulfate
but adding too much Sulfate will have a negative effect in the gold leaching .
the formula is simple but .
i don’t have the formula.
cooper sulfate is adding because with 25%-30% ammonia will be a strong Oxidizer
Becareful with Ammonia Fumes can be deadly
tempeture is key in the leaching process
keeping like at 50 F
will help a lot to leaching out the gold from the Ore.
Ore granulation ,for me work better at 200 mesh.
Precipitation
can use Zinc,Iron sulfate
There is a formula. Will find it and post laterHi there, how would you know when the Thiosulfate has been consumed by the copper sulfate and then I guess you would just add more thiosulfate to the mix. It's like I'm the mad professor. A pinch of this, a few drops of that. There must be a correct formula out there I have had a read but alot is over my head when they start with chemistry formulas ect.
budzag
Active member
Hi guys. Just a update on the Thiosulfate leach. I have tried adding ammonia to the solution i got the ph up to 9. I then added a spoon full of zinc powder but I didn't notice any reaction the solution just turned Grey. So for the time being i put this to the side. Lucky I had another small batch with no ammonia added. So I tried a little test using 2 pieces of non magnetic stainless and a small 9v battery. I added the circuit to the solution and connected the battery and left for 10mins. This is the result on the Cathode. Can anyone tell if this looks like silver starting to plate? Thanks guys 
budzag
Active member
budzag
Active member
I have used 2 non magnetic pieces stainless steel for anode and cathode. Then i ran at around 1.5v the amps were set at around 3. after a hour or so i turned off to check progress. Now this is the part I don't get i have seen gold attached to cathode from other users ect and the gold forms as a mud sludge on the cathode why would my cathode look shiny like metallic gold forming? also the anode seems to be getting eaten away at a very fast pace. The solution is forming a thick brown sludge where I'm not sure it is comming from could this be iron from the stainless anode getting eaten away it's definitely contaminating the solution from a nice clear colour. I will add a couple pics. But any help would be awesome. Would it be better to use a copper and iron rod. The only reason I went stainless was i thought I could wash the gold powder off many Thanks
Attachments
Have you checked if there are Gold at all?
You can not get out what is not there.
Have you assayed your ore?
Have you tested if your leach works?
budzag
Active member
Hi mate, thanks for your reply. No i haven't checked for gold as i am in the process of ordering Stannous Chloride for this test.
I have run and smelted some of this ore and there is always a small visible pril after cupelling with bismuth
No I haven't tested if the leach works that's what i am trying to figure out. I am trying to do the leach without adding any Ammonia or copper sulfate just plan distilled water an sodium Thiosulfate. I should of known if using 2 stainless sheets for anode an cathode one would get eaten away and contaminate the solution so that is my fault for rushing ahead. I am thinking Iron and stainless might work if i pulled the iron out before the iron started contaminating too much? I do understand its not much help without Stannous to test
Well if there is no Gold in it, there is no Gold to get out.
