Brand new to the Forum/Lordy! Glad I found you! Refining Silver

[pontif]

I happened to watch a video on gold extraction and refinement. I know the same can be done with Silver and Gold filled items. I am a jeweler (actually disabled - hit head on by an 18 wheeler and wrecked my back years ago). I have POUNDS UPON POUNDS - about 12+ pounds total in all - OF scrap sterling and silver wire, and more than 4+ pounds of 1/20 14kt gold wire scrap.

 

Is there a timely manner and a method that makes $$ sense to refine the precious metals into fine silver and 22kt+ gold. I have read one article that mentioned using Nitric acid. Any ideas from the real chemists?

 

Thanks for helping the new guy! Stuff I make below!

Always wanting to show off. Sorry!

 

William

[arc]

I have POUNDS UPON POUNDS - about 12+ pounds total in all - OF scrap sterling and silver wire, and more than 4+ pounds of 1/20 14kt gold wire scrap.

 

Is there a timely manner and a method that makes $$ sense to refine the precious metals into fine silver and 22kt+ gold.

 

Sure, but you will first need to send the material to me for closer examination . . . . . . . .

[Ophiolite]

I cannot help on the processing, but I like your work.

 

(And you can absolutely trust arc with the gold and silver. I've been saying that for years - ever since he gave me a 15% cut.)

[arc]

I cannot help on the processing, but I like your work.

 

(And you can absolutely trust arc with the gold and silver. I've been saying that for years - ever since he gave me a 15% cut.)

 

15!!! THAT'S OUTRIGHT ROBBERY!!!

 

(so nice to have an easy way to dump the iron pyrite)

[RiceAWay]

Since the material you are using is composed mostly of noble metals the separations of the individual components is rather difficult.

 

Sterling is some 92%+ pure and the remainder can be any number of components. Refining gold is usually done with very carefully temperature controlled ovens that allow you to pick off the individual components at their melting temperatures. The problem is that copper is the most common impurity in gold and their melting points are within just a few degrees. You could use electrolysis to extract the copper but it is likely that the levels of impurities in jewelry grade gold and silver are so low that it would be difficult using any of the readily available methods.

 

There are methods that use strong acids but I doubt that a home chemist could refine the metals much beyond jewelry grade metal.