Extracting Precious Metals

boomer

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Jul 8, 2003
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To understand precious metal extraction, all you need to do is check your local library. there are several good books on this, (and its free.) also your local collage, university will have the matetal you need. and its free. the internet as all kinds of sites for you to look at, and yes (its free). before jumping into something, check it out.

Start out by checking this site out. (And its free.)

Profits from Precious Metals
how to start and operate your own metals recycling business ... jewelry for its precious metals content: do not pay ... pure metals or alloyed with other materials. For example: Copper wire can be ... Learn how to identify valuable metals. Then keep ...
www.brooksowen.com/metals-biz
 

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Thanks, Boomer, for that page.
It has some interesting figures and recipes. I started with about $100 and got a bunch of old computers / cables free (still getting them free too) so the figure of $500 - 1000 may even be high. I have more than made triple back on my investment so far but that is pretty small in the grand scheme of things - although Wal street would love those kinds of odds ;)

I noticed he mostly addressed gold (and some silver and copper) but I would like to see some research on PGM's. I found a page or three by searching Google on the uses of platinum and was amazed to see what it is used for (besides catalitic converters -sp?) That may be interesting to you as well. As far as refining PGMs, I have seen where heated AR is used but I have never attempted it myself. Would love to hear from those who have - or with any other method.

Jon
 

Hello, glad to hear that there are people out there that dont laugh when speaking of scrap electronics, I have been recycling scrap electronics for over 15 years, I am a private refiner but would like to hear from others with simular interests, there is a lot of money to be made in this biz,
 

Speaking of precious metal extraction does anyone know if you can extract the platinum out of a catalytic convertor and if so how much? Was going to help my brother pull his catalytic convertor this weekend since it went bad and this had crossed my mind before reading this post. Any help or site links appreciated. Thanks.
 

pityocamptes said:
Speaking of precious metal extraction does anyone know if you can extract the platinum out of a catalytic convertor and if so how much? Was going to help my brother pull his catalytic convertor this weekend since it went bad and this had crossed my mind before reading this post. Any help or site links appreciated. Thanks.
Hello, it depends on size of converter and age, older converters are more prone to have a high level of Pb, the newer the better bu this also has draw backs such as the substitution of palladium for platinum,the converters usualy contain Pt,Pd and Rh, I have also found converters containing Au, there are several ways to process converters,I use nitric acid and distilled water 70% ntric 30% distilled water heated in a glass container-pickel jar 1 gallon is best but yu need to research the best method for you.
 

Aqua regia complexes the brew with lead,tin,nickel,copper and a host a junk.Cyanide is the cheapest easiest SAFEST to use.Simply GOOGLE Basement Chemistry for the Prospector and the world will open up for you FREE!!!Tons a au 2 u 2-PS Retired Chemical engineer in the circuit board biz and we recovered TONS a metal!!John
 

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