Total noob here looking to be pointed in the right direction

[abluetree]

I have braze alloy mixing leftovers containing Gold, Palladium, Nickel, Chromium, Boron, and Silicon combined with a liquid plastic binder. All among plastic mixing cups, gauze, and metal tipped syringes. I don't really know where to start, but I'm pretty sure it would be worth acquiring the hardware and chemicals to process. Any tips to point me in the right direction with this mix of stuff?

 

[GoIdman]

I have braze alloy mixing leftovers containing Gold, Palladium, Nickel, Chromium, Boron, and Silicon combined with a liquid plastic binder. All among plastic mixing cups, gauze, and metal tipped syringes. I don't really know where to start, but I'm pretty sure it would be worth acquiring the hardware and chemicals to process. Any tips to point me in the right direction with this mix of stuff?

Hi, welcome to the forum.

Before attempting anything please download Hoke`s book from the forum, you`ll find it here: https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/printer-friendly-copy-of-hokes-book.17706/#p179081

Take a tour of the safety section of this forum, so you`ll know what you are up against and how can you protect yourself. info here: https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/safety.47/

Information about Equipments and tools can be found here: https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/equipment-systems-tools.56/

Also visit The library.

Use the search function if you need more information, on the website upper right corner, you can use keywords, phrases (like silver refining, RAM fingers, acid peroxide...ect.)

For anything else we are here to help, but do your share of studying.

Be safe

Pete

 

[Yggdrasil]

I have braze alloy mixing leftovers containing Gold, Palladium, Nickel, Chromium, Boron, and Silicon combined with a liquid plastic binder. All among plastic mixing cups, gauze, and metal tipped syringes. I don't really know where to start, but I'm pretty sure it would be worth acquiring the hardware and chemicals to process. Any tips to point me in the right direction with this mix of stuff?

Welcome.
That is a strange mix, where is it from?
Medical waste?

As Pete has shown you we like folks to do their own study.
Here I have the links you already received plus a few others.
One important is the dealing with waste thread.

We ask our new members to do 3 things.
1. Read C.M. Hokes book on refining jewelers scrap, it gives an easy introduction to the most important chemistry regarding refining.
It is free here on the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=19798
2. Then read the safety section of the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/safety.47/
3. And then read about "Dealing with waste" in the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/dealing-with-waste.10539/

Suggested reading:
https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/the-library.101/
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/when-in-doubt-cement-it-out.30236/
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threa...le-read-this-before-you-post-about-ore.33333/


Forum rules is here.
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/gold-refining-forum-rules.31182/

 

[abluetree]

Pete, Yggdrasil, thank you. I ordered Hoke's book on amazon and should have it in a week or so. It's cool that you have it free here to download, and I will definitely make use of that for the time being, and while at my computer.

Q: Where's it from?
A: It is aerospace waste. A mix of a few different brazing alloys. It is mostly separated by alloy in garbage bags, but little care has been taken to keep them separated by little trained, uncaring employees, in bins right next to each other, so I am 100% certain mixing has occurred as they are also visually similar.

I'm hoping to develop a process to extract the Gold and Palladium, assuming all the components could be present in all samples.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Pete, Yggdrasil, thank you. I ordered Hoke's book on amazon and should have it in a week or so. It's cool that you have it free here to download, and I will definitely make use of that for the time being, and while at my computer.

Q: Where's it from?
A: It is aerospace waste. A mix of a few different brazing alloys. It is mostly separated by alloy in garbage bags, but little care has been taken to keep them separated by little trained, uncaring employees, in bins right next to each other, so I am 100% certain mixing has occurred as they are also visually similar.

I'm hoping to develop a process to extract the Gold and Palladium, assuming all the components could be present in all samples.

Hokes book is free here on the forum.
It is one of the links I gave you, courtesy of Frugalrefiner.

 

[abluetree]

Hokes book is free here on the forum.
It is one of the links I gave you, courtesy of Frugalrefiner.

I realize. Thanks. The hassle of printing and binding a 400 page book is not something I want to do right now though. I downloaded and have digitally thumbed through it a bit. I'm excited to get into it more here soon.

 

[4metals]

All of the processing you will eventually do to separate the metals will involve eventually putting the metals into solution. The thing is the different components you have in the mix with the plastic binders doesn't wet easily. I think the first thing you will be doing is burning off the plastics and mixing cups and gauze to allow the chemicals you will be using to react with the metals.

Depending on the quantities of material you have, this can involve burning it off in a frying pan all the way up to larger incineration or pyrolysis devices.
The key is, even if you have large quantities, prepare the material for processing in small lots to familiarize yourself with the processes you will be using. Then, if quantities warrant, scaling up isn't as intimidating.

If you read up on the links you were given, there are plenty of members here who can help walk you through this. The more we know about the material and the steps you take to process this material the better advice you will receive. That is basically how the forum works, you clearly state your problem and members here make suggestions. And in the end, with a good flow of information from members here and from you, we end up all benefiting from a successful process.

Welcome to the forum.