We acquired some stuff I don't know how to deal with?

[drgoodbar]

Hi folks,

Happy Halloween Hope All is Well!!!!

Ok, so here is what happened. About a month ago we contracted to clean out a building where the previous tenant was in the business of circuit board manufacturing. We acquired a lot of chemicals and I have spent a lot of time here on the Forum and across the web researching everything.
Here is a partial list of what we ended up with:
Hydrochloric Acid 37% Cleanroom LP
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium Gluconate
Potassium Sodium Tartrate
Potassium Cyanide
Hydrofluoric Acid
Sulfuric Acid
So here is my question: After researching all of this I noticed that the jugs containing Sulfuric Acid are not pure. They are very dirty and extremely heavy. I mean they must weigh at least 20 pounds each. I am assuming this is either waste or has some value? I have not been able to find a clear cut “SAFE” process for detecting the presence of valuable metals in the solution. Will Stannous Chloride work?
Because of the fact we found the Cyanide I am not sure I am comfortable going off halfcocked. Actually, I never am. I really don’t care if there are ten pounds of Gold in this stuff I plan on sticking around long enough to see my grandson grow old!
On the other hand I don’t want to just destroy it until I know. How should I approach this situation? In the meantime the chemicals are safely locked up here in a chemical cabinet that we got with them. I drilled it and put a hasp on it just in case!
Thanks in advance for any input.
Regards,
Drgoodbar

 

[FrugalRefiner]

First, separate the cyanide from the acids. At the least, they should be in different cabinets. Even better if they are in separate rooms. If the two combine, they will produce deadly hydrogen cyanide gas.

Sulfuric acid is very heavy. It's about 1.8 times as dense as water, so a bottle or jug is very heavy.

Don't do anything with the hydrofluoric acid. It is extremely dangerous. A splash that covers 25 square inches of skin is enough to kill a person.

If you provide your location, perhaps there is a member near you who can help sort through what you have. I wouldn't necessarily expect to find precious metals there.

Dave

 

[butcher]

drgoodbar,
You have some dangerous stuff there, even more dangerous if you do not understand their chemistry.
Without an understanding of the chemistry involved,it sounds like all you have is cabinets full of industrial toxic waste that can cost you money to deal with.
Some of these should be stored in separate cabinets, as they can react with each other if they come into contact with each other...

Sulfuric acid can be heavy itself because of its density.

Sulfuric acid very seldom would hold values, as not many of the valuable metals are dissolved by it, sulfuric acid will attack many different base metals, and if by chance did have some valuable metal (which would be a rare situation) using copper to cement, or displace any value in a test sample could be one way to test it.
Stannous chloride test on sulfuric solution would be a useless test, unless you think some silver was involved, then HCl or just plain salt NaCl would work to test for silver, (silver sulfate is not very soluble anyway).

If you are unsure of what you have or how to store, use, or deal with them properly, or understand their reactions chemically.
Attempting to test them for values could cost you more that its worth, without the understanding the chemical reactions could cost you your health or your life,.

Storing them improperly can set up a dangerous situation waiting to happen, and can put you and your grandson in danger.
Find someone who knows what these chemicals are, and may be willing to take them off your hands.
Take them to your hazardous waste facility.

 

[drgoodbar]

Thanks folks,
As of reading these replies by tomorrow I will have separated the acids. Is it safe to cement with a copper bar if I add nothing to the dirty sulfuric. If so I intend to do it in a five gallon pale in the shed with the windows open and a fan. Of course the shed will be locked. I am familiar with cementing because my first inquiry on this forum led to my successful cementing of my very first 4.8gm nugget! Other than that can anyone suggest a person (w/experience) near San Jose, CA. Who might be willing to take a look?
If not I suppose I will start looking for a place to legally dispose of the material.
Thanks Again,
DrGoodbar
PS: I am willing to travel a bit if its not too far!

 

[Smack]

Please don't travel with these chemicals.

 

[rickbb]

Please don't travel with these chemicals.

Especially the hydrofluoric acid, very, very, very nasty stuff! Hire a professional to come and take that for you. It will be the best money you ever spent. Seriously.

 

[butcher]

It would be extremely unlikely that the sulfuric acid acid would hold any valuable metals.

Testing small sample is all you would need to do.
NaCl (or HCl) will test for silver a milky white (or white precipitate) in the reaction indicates silver in solution (if the solution tests positive for silver, look for precipitated silver in the original volume).

Using copper to replace any metals that may be below copper in the electromotive series, a black powder coating on the silver indicates metals below copper in solution.
Laser Steve made some posts on testing for rhodium, you could also study those.