Let me start off by saying I know I'm a sloppy idiot, but I didn't have knowledge of this website before I did what I did. I had about 1 1/2 pds of certain gold fill, and another 2-2 1/2 lbs of probable gold plate, some gold fill and other mystery metals. I got a 5 gallon heavy plastic bucket. Poured in about 6 1/2 LITERS of hydrochloric acid ACS grade and about 1 1/2 LITERS of 70% nitric acid ACS/reagent grade, and then tossed in the 3 1/2-4 lbs of the above materials. I must say the chemical reaction was quite impressive but it quieted down after about an hour. I let it sit for about 24 hours, and because I couldn't find any place that sold pure urea, I found a fertilizer marked 30-10-10, the main ingredient being 34% urea, and and the remainder ingredients were 2 other fertilizers the names of which I don't remember. It was about a 5 pd bag. That turned what had been a beautiful emerald green liquid into a milky liquid that over time separated with the result being about 1/2 milky green sludge and 1/2 being a beautiful emerald green clear fluid. I then tossed in what I had of sodium bisulfate , but nothing happened. I only had maybe a pint of the granular S.B. I've separated the sludge from the emerald green fluid, and here I sit, not knowing if I've screwed things up beyond redemption, or if there is something I can do to still retrieve the gold from one or both of the two solutions I now have. Incidentally, after the acids did their work, it appeared that all the gold had been dissolved, but most of the previously gold fill findings remained (minus any gold layer) and appeared to be lead/tin/zinc or some other base metal. These I simply took and melted down into several large slabs that are heavy and look like lead, tin, zinc or some combination thereof. Other than saying that I should forever stay away from chemistry and dangerous chemicals, does anyone have any idea what I should do now to get the gold out, if possible? PLEASE TAKE PITY AND ANY SERIOUS ADVICE WOULD BE MOST DEARLY APPRECIATED.
STEVE (p30504)
[email protected]
STEVE (p30504)
[email protected]