Gold is MAGNETIC

[Notorious222]

I hope this finds someone who can apply this. There is a type of magnetism called diamagnetism. Gold so happens to be diamagnetic. If you take fine powders of copper, silver, or gold (all diamagnetic) and charge something (plastic) up with static electricity they will be attracted to that object. If you put a metal plate between the statically charged object and the metal powder, the powder will be repelled.

The problem is no one can sit there and charge something for hours on end. Similarly running a generator of some type is not ideal as static generators need constant maintenance. There are objects called an electret. These are like diamagnets. They are the exact opposite of a magnet. Permanent static charge instead of permanent magnetic charge. They attract diamagnetic objects.

Electret - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You can test diamagnetism on gold. Take some fine gold powder or flakes. Then get a piece of PVC tube and rub it with a towel, fur, or your head. The gold will jump to the PVC when you place it near there. You may have trouble with this in a humid environment. Try it where humidity is low for best results. Winter time works great as things will more readily hold a charge.

Imagine lining your sluice (would need to be made of plastic) with electrets.

The main problem is even though they are mass produced for industry you can't purchase them from any science supply house. You can however make them yourself.




The smallest particles of gold would be the most attracted to the electret. This seems like a dream scenario for fine gold recovery.


I hope someone finds this info useful. Give me some credit if you find a use.

 

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[DizzyDigger]

DD,

You're beyond my pay-grade with the level of technology,
but my question is: "Is there a practical application or product
you can develop using that technology that will benefit prospectors?
If so, how would it be constructed? "

Debates among scientists/physicists can go on for eternity,
but without a practical application there is no value in the effort.

 

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[DDancer]

Dizzy,
Those are good questions. I took a look around to see what electret materials are being used for and did not find much. Mostly I came across uses for the material in microphones which was understandable to me considering the properties of the material. Off the top of my head I can imagine a couple of ways that might be useful however they are just modifications to existing products. A simple one is to use a layer of electret like a miners mat in a dry washer. Fine gold will adhere to it as it does in the Keen system however I don't know of any electret materials that have a sufficiently high enough static charge that would prevent the gold from being removed due to agitation. The Keen dry washer generates a pretty strong charge during its operation and the materials its made of retain that charge well.
Another product that uses electro-static charge is the Gold Wheel. Maybe fashioning a gold wheel out of electret material would work pretty good. But again only for fine gold and that particular device is very slow. I know because I have one

The thing with using electro-static to recover gold is that conditions need to be very dry. Humidity dissipates these charges very effectively and even an electret material will have problems in this regard. Another condition that would affect recovery is that not just gold will adhere to a charged surface~ dust and many other materials will as well which would clog the apparatus fairly quickly. I'm not saying its an impractical idea~ just one that would require a fair bit of tinkering and some new materials in the evolving field of electrets.
I've toyed with ideas that involve using electro-static force for gold recovery~ ion generators, Van de Graff generators and simply fast moving air over plastics~ but found it to be pretty impractical at this time. It takes a fair amount of energy to make the effect work but who knows? New materials and technology is evolving and should I find something that may work I'll check it out.

A side note.
My purpose for the excessive "rant" was not to show off or to bore anyone. The fellow has an interesting idea, not a new one, but they demonstrated an extreme lack of understanding the basics of not just what was being presented but how the world works. Top that off with insulting references and yep it got my gander up.
Anyone can pick up the knowledge I presented. It just happens that I use it and it looks like that fellow wants to use it as well only there can be no debate if one does not have their facts strait. I hope anyone reading this will understand.

 

[DizzyDigger]

A side note. My purpose for the excessive "rant" was not to show off or to bore anyone. The fellow has an interesting idea, not a new one, but they demonstrated an extreme lack of understanding the basics of not just what was being presented but how the world works. Top that off with insulting references and yep it got my gander up. Anyone can pick up the knowledge I presented. It just happens that I use it and it looks like that fellow wants to use it as well only there can be no debate if one does not have their facts strait. I hope anyone reading this will understand.

Talk and debate are good things, but heated arguing serves no purpose
other than to waste the time and energy of all involved. Once ya get angry,
progress stops.

BTW, just about every new theory or concept is challenged in the
scientific community, and that's where the mathematics and
empirical testing take over. An old teacher of mine used to say:
"Do the math, then tell me I'm wrong".

Imagine how Galileo felt trying to prove his point to the church!

 

[Goldwasher]

So what your saying is that gold IS NOT magnetic....GOT IT

 

[DDancer]

Correct Goldwasher.


Well Dizzy,
I apologize for wasting your time up front. But honestly are you trying to reprimand me? I probably should have kept the last statement to myself but hey I felt a kind of apology was owed to that fellow and to those who put in the time to read the thread.
I had hoped you were coming back on topic~ I'll respond to your post however.

I don't think I wasted my time. *shrugs* As I said, the fellow looks like they want to use the tools I, and many others, do. That requires, as your math teacher said, doing the math and then telling me I'm wrong. Don't take that as a jibe please because I actually do understand it in practice. Unlike Galileo and his arguments with the church nothing said was based on proven fact verses religious belief. I feel so on my part anyway. Debate is and organized argument. The fellow, in my opinion, did not what to debate~ just argue. As to scientific challenge~ that's what is currently considered The Scientific Method and its rather effective for rooting out the truth of things around us. The empirical testing. Funny enough to me that's a debate all in itself~ even with the math. Hahh!

I don't feel everyone who's read the thread has wasted their time either. I'm sure more than a few walked away with something more. Maybe even a few ideas. Maybe not but I do strongly wish that fellow walked away with something more than possible hurt feelings.

I don't feel there is much more to say on the topic at this point in time unless you, or others, wish to take up the merits of the topic. In my last post I think I made it clear by answering your questions that I've not closed my mind to the original merits and am willing to entertain other ideas on the topic with people who want to discuss it in a reasoned manner. My statements to the other fellow did not disprove the merit of his thoughts on using electret material for gold recovery. Just disproved the topic that Gold Is "Not" Magnetic.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Correct Goldwasher.


Well Dizzy,
I apologize for wasting your time up front. But honestly are you trying to reprimand me? I probably
should have kept the last statement to myself but hey I felt a kind of apology was owed to that fellow
and to those who put in the time to read the thread.I had hoped you were coming back on topic~
I'll respond to your post however.

Easy there big fellow!

Reprimand you? Not only NO, but HELL NO! Never thought anything of the
kind, in fact. My comment was basically saying I understand how frustrating
it can be to get folks to understand a new concept. You took a supporting
comment, and turned it completely out of context.

As for the heated debate part, I'll stand by my comment. When folks
start arguing heatedly progress usually stops until cooler heads prevail
once again.

The "math" comment was made because I have little doubt you can
prove your theory mathematically, and in doing so would have shut
up those who questioned your idea.

The post was meant to be supportive of you.

Nobody wasted there time here, and in the future I'll be
more careful how I word my replies so people don't twist
my words.

'Nuff said.

 

[DDancer]

No worries Dizzy. Appreciate the reply and apologies if I did take what you said out of context. Unintended consequence of the media~
I feel I'll avoid anymore discussion on the matter~ I may be to sensitive about it. Thanks Nuff said.
DD

As to the topic I wonder if there will be any takers. I'm traveling the US right now working so I'm not in a position to experiment actively. Hehh, kind of hard to get to storage units half way around the country. Back when I was playing with similar thoughts I was also trying to turn a desert vacumb into a separation device. Got expensive and didn't work real well. My idea for using static was on the out flow to both control dust and try to recover any fine gold being ejected. Even thought about modify'n a Dyson at one point~ real expensive. *grins* Kinda hard to tote a generator and extension cord so I abandoned the idea.

 

[Asmbandits]

I like turtles

 

[Duckwalk]

When shoes get untied, its wise to tie them so you dont trip...

Just trying to be MORE helpful than this thread....

 

[chlsbrns]

 

[ncclaymaker]

Bought everything necessary to build an electret right on ebay. Bees wax, carauba wax, rosin and a very high voltage (40kv) electrostatic charging device. Less than $100 in all. I'll give it a go... it might just function.