using AP method for gold filled

[upcyclist]

Ive never done as Hoke recommends though, using goldfill to inquart karat, but I have no reason to doubt its functionality. I just prefer to use coin silver or sterling spoons. Leaving the goldfill to be run on its own.

I figure it really doesn't make much difference. Since I rarely come across old 1/10 stuff, my GF is generally either 12/20 or 14/20. In Karat terms, that's 0.6-0.7K, so it won't affect much if my inquarted gold is 6.7K instead of 6K (i.e., 28% gold alloy instead of 25%). Foils are pretty, but so is that final button

Oh, and inquarting with it also cuts down on the amount I need to build up before it's worth processing

 

[DylanDownright84]

Hey guys! There's a pic of the gold filled scrap on page 1 of this thread. It's sitting in a pyrex bowl. It's still in the AP mix, 9 days now and it's looking great. Added more peroxide and it seemed to clear up alot of the gray sludge that was mixed in. The bubbler run about 8 hours a day as well. I started looking up stannous recipes last night, but fell asleep. Gonna get back to researching again tonight when I have some quiet time. I'm not in a rush at all. Just excited to keep learning. The small batch of e-scrap I processed over the weekend is finished, but is still settling. See previous pics I posted. There's a thick brown layer on the bottom of the jar now along with black particles settled to one side. Plan is to decant, collect and save till I have more to make the 2nd refine/cleaning worth the time. Planned on using "Harold's wash" once I have a good enough amount. I'll post pics of the gold filled jar soon.

 

[DylanDownright84]

Here's the gold filled stuff in AP as of today, 24 April, 2017. It's coming along for sure, but some of it doesn't even look like it's been touched. Thinking about doing a filtering, washing, then putting the stubborn bits back in and processing the bits that are ready. The pictures don't show it all by any means, but there's a good amount of gold particles in there. Washing will take some time for sure. The gold particles are tiny.

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

My body ache's from the tragedy you will encounter using those dishes!

A side note, its really best to just wait to process it all together, so you don't create more and more waste while taking each little bit of the lot in solution, bit by bit. You are undoubtedly going to use too much acid to dissolve the foils (all new people do, heck, i still do sometimes). Especially, if you aren't heating it. And im praying to the gods of gold that you dont heat the reaction in those vessels. It can be catastrophic.

Im honestly quite surprised the goldfill is going along so well in a copper chloride leach. Are the foils able to be crunched with a glass rod? Do they float around the solution with a brisk stir?
It looks like a lot of the stuff in the spoon is still pretty solid. But, hard to tell really.

 

[DylanDownright84]

I have an old note 3 phone and the camera isn't the best. I haven't used heat on the jar with the filled stuff except for letting it sit in the sun, but it's been raining for 3 days here. The air bubbler has really helped the most I think. It's all taking place in a quart mason jar and is just over half way full of AP. I got an earthenware crock today for a few bucks at goodwill and will be transferring the entire mix to that jar tomorrow so I can put it on the hotplate finally. Since the pics I'm taking just suck, I'll try taking a short video for you and see if it comes out better. It's still a nice dark emerald green and I haven't added anything to it for almost a week now. The small batch of e-scrap is still settling for the 3rd day now haha. Any suggestions on how to get better pics for you guys? It's just been gross here with no sunlight so I'm stuck using my shop light and headlamps for light.

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

I got an earthenware crock today for a few bucks at goodwill and will be transferring the entire mix to that jar tomorrow so I can put it on the hotplate finally.

You are putting an earthenware crock, on a hot plate?

Or you mean you have a crockpot that you will be using to heat?

The former will be a disaster, the latter would be fine.
Earthenware crock dishes arent really meant to take that much direct heat from one localized spot. It will break. Crockpots are different, the coils of wire heat it evenly (and slowly)throughout the dish, so fractures dont happen often. But, if you put that thing on a hot plate, you're going to have a bad time.

You should have looked for an old coffee pot and a corningware dish at goodwill. You will spend maybe a dollar or two on the coffee pot, and at most 5 or 6 dollars on the corningware pyroceram. If you really cannot find corningware locally, pm me your address and I will mail you one. I have plenty.

 

[DylanDownright84]

Heu Topher, it's a small black crock pot. 2 quart size, but I picked up 3 coffee pots with it and will be transferring the mix to one of those instead. Should be able to get you some better pics as well as soon as I'm done. Coffee pots have measurement lines in cups too which will help. I'll post an update in a bit. Thanks buddy!

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

http://goldrefiningforum.com/~goldrefi/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=23620

Sounds like all you need to get you goin, safely, is one of those then. You will be happy if the ish hits the fan, and you have one.

 

[upcyclist]

I think it was mentioned before on this thread, but if not, it's certainly in other threads on using a copper chloride (what you call AP) leach: When your leach stalls, don't add more peroxide, add more HCl. You already have a bubbler adding oxidant (oxygen). Adding more oxidant will increase the odds that you're dissolving gold, making your particles smaller, assuming it cements back out.

 

[DylanDownright84]

Here's some pics from 5 minutes ago. Has just shy of 4 cups total mix in the pot. It's on low heat sitting ontop of a small baking pan filled with damp sand.

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

Heating AP increases the odds that some gold will dissolve, not a big deal really, as the gold will cement back onto the base metal that remains. But, be diligent and test with stannous. Also, do as upcyclist suggests, and don't add any more peroxide, just small additions of HCl.

You should make some stannous. Lead free solder, or lead free fishing weights and HCl are all you need. Heck, you can even use a pewter bowl or escrap solder to make stannous if you're in a pinch. But, it IS a necessity. It is the eyes of the refiner. Since there are several things that can make an acid solution yellow, orange, or reddish. Stannous is needed to tell if it is one of the precious metals in solution making those colors, or if its iron, silver chloride, molybdenum, or whatever. Guessing will only get you in trouble.

 

[DylanDownright84]

This is where my patience pays off. I'm flat broke till Friday and I have an order of stannous granules just ready to purchase. The recipe I read requires pure tin (shot, powder, solder), distilled water, Hcl, and stannous granules. I'd definitely be interested in trying a cheaper alternative. Everytime I attempt or do something in regards to this stuff is my first time doing it so I wanna get it right if I can haha. I know coffee pots can take some heat, but I just have a light steam coming out of it. Don't really wanna boil Hcl in the coffee pot.

 

[DylanDownright84]

Was also thinking about filtering and washing the gold that's separated and then just putting the stubborn bits back in the mix.

 

[anachronism]

Dylan whilst it's been mentioned in a lot of places on the forum it bears writing again. Tinned solder from your hardware store- a few bucks a roll. Add some to HCl and you're good. Make sure you get the one with tin in it. Roll will last you a lifetime.

Jon.

 

[DylanDownright84]

Yes sir! Getting some Friday if not before then. And it's just Hcl and tin, correct? The recipe I read calls for actual stannous granules.

 

[Shark]

Might try wheel weights from a tire shop. Some of the newer ones are steel but several had tin in them as lead was being fazed out. If using fishing weights be sure they are the tin ones and not the steel variety (usually the larger sizes are steel (in the eco friendly type).

 

[jimdoc]

Might try wheel weights from a tire shop. Some of the newer ones are steel but several had tin in them as lead was being fazed out. If using fishing weights be sure they are the tin ones and not the steel variety (usually the larger sizes are steel (in the eco friendly type).

Actually they are probably zinc. Tin would be highly sought after by ammo reloaders, just like the lead ones.

edit to include link;
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?139839-Guide-to-Hand-Sorting-Wheel-Weights

 

[DylanDownright84]

I have a bunch of 20ga bird shot shells, but have no idea what the composition is of the shot.

 

[Shark]

Thanks Jim. I heated a few in my pot just now and it isn't tin. It melts easier than tin. Then again my pot has sit for so long no telling what kind of trash is in it now.

 

[anachronism]

Dylan go for the tinned solder mate. You know what you're getting

Shark and Jim are also quite correct in what they are saying but you might as well get the tin 8)