muriatic acid

[docone31]

Ok, I have this massive batch of Gold by the Inch. It is supposedly heavy plated base metals.
Can I strip the base metals and leave the plating by letting it sit in muriatic acid for a while?
My hope, is it will leave a shell, fragile indeed if it is even gold plated.
Any thoughts?

 

[Noxx]

Yes, you can use HCl to strip base metals.

 

[docone31]

What would be a good way to use the HCL?
A thought would be to just let it all soak. It would take some real time I suppose. Another thought would be to use a cell.
If I have nuggets of melted karat gold, would the HCL also work on the base metals whithin the melt?
Dang, I am so new to this, I do not even know the questions to ask. I have been reading and reading, and reading this forum for days. I have read so much the information seems to disappear like water in a collander.
I guess, what I am looking for, is how to get my elemental gold free from the alloy and then seperate it to realloy.
I will tell you what, I have met on this forum some seriously helpful folks. I mean, good decent answers. This forum is so full of information. My head spins.
I also thought I might start small. Real small. Some gold filled, not much, but enough to see what happens. A nugget, probably less than 1gm. Just to see what happens.
Then, how do I get the gold out of the solution? Or does the gold remain. Perhaps inquartation and forming grain to process.

 

[Rag and Bone]

Try reading Hoke's book. It's easier to get the basics from her rather than a bunch of random info.

I would strip that jewelry in a cell.

 

[docone31]

I am saving up for Hoke's book at this moment.
I did not even know it existed untill I joined this forum. I have read so many people's references to it here, it is almost an obsession for me.
Rest assured, my love of gold, the feel of it, the colour of it, its handling properties, I am going to do nothing except accumulate information for some time.
There is reference to it in e-book on this forum, and I tried to download it, but it keeps looping the html. Probably a meant to be, I prefer hardcover books anyway.
Hey, all you folks are great! I love watching Steve's videos. Just love them.
Thanks.

 

[P_CARROLL]

I have found through my own experiance that that my setup mentioned in the thread below will help you immensly. Limit your batche to 1 pound of material at a time and it takes about 24-36 hrs per bath if you need more info pm me

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=2578&highlight=

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=645&highlight=

 

[docone31]

I just went out and checked my batch of muriatic.
There are some pieces of what looks like gold flake on the bottom. The strings I used to hold the neclaces up are intact, and neclace free!
It does indeed look like muriatic acid will eat base metals, leaving the plating free.
Way cool.
I just got some nitrate soda from the hardware store.
How do I make nitric from muriatic acid, and nitrate soda? I lost the thread I bookmarked.
The muriatic does indeed free the plating. From there, filter, and refine with HCL/CL, or A/P.
This has been fascinating!
I got a jeweler buddy coming over tomorrow to look see. I keep trying to get him to join this forum. He wants to do this also.
I am going to show him Steve's Site also.
Far out.

 

[Art Corbit]

I use home made Nitric Acid. It works quick and does a good job. I tried HCL and I didn't care for the results. I make my Nitric Acid about 3/4 of a quart at a time. I put hot water in a small crock pot and fill a quart jar about 3/4 full of Sulfuric Acid and then set the jar down in the hot water. Give it a few minuted to warm the Sulfuric and then start adding the Nitrate of Soda a little at a time. If you want it strong dissolve all the Nitrate of Soda the Sulfuric will dissolve. I don't care for it real strong so I don't use as much of the Nitrate. This is the easiest, quickest and does the best job. You can get all the Sulfuric you want at your local auto parts store and you can get the Nitrate of Soda at your garden centers.

Art