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Small Batch Placer Gold Refiners?


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Looks like TCB Metals & Refining will purchase gold, 704-791-9025. The pay perhaps 93% of spot price and according to the % of pure gold in the gold. 

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On 7/31/2020 at 11:30 AM, microsniper said:

Hey All,  Iv been trying to locate a Refiner here in the USA that can process a small batch of placer gold (2oz) and fabricate some 18/22k jewelry stock.     I am an amateur jeweler and have tried many times to smelt my hard earned gold into some usable material and have not had any luck thus far.     So, I know I can send it off to a refiner and get generic stock back but the point is to use my own gold for some special pieces.      I know someone else out there has gone down this road before, and i would so appreciate a lead on  a reputable refiner/fabricator.    

 

cheers!    

I’m planning to do the same thing for the same reason this year. 

My question is what part of the refining didn’t work for you?

I am assuming you have melting equipment molds for rough cast and a roll mill to produce the finished stock?

Are you smelting with borax to remove impurities? Are you  annealing the gold as it work hardens in the rolling process? 

Any jewelry Smith in your area should be able to make stock for you but it would be nice to figure out making your own.

 

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1 hour ago, sjmpainter said:

I’m planning to do the same thing for the same reason this year. 

My question is what part of the refining didn’t work for you?

I am assuming you have melting equipment molds for rough cast and a roll mill to produce the finished stock?

Are you smelting with borax to remove impurities? Are you  annealing the gold as it work hardens in the rolling process? 

Any jewelry Smith in your area should be able to make stock for you but it would be nice to figure out making your own.

 

Hey, yeah I have all the necessary tools, rolling mill, etc, crucible, fluxes, borax, etc.   So far each of my batches (ingots/ round stock) have turned out brittle when worked with a hammer, or rolled in the mill.  I have been melting silver and gold and making jewelry for years with few issues.   Only when I use the rough little nuggets from southern arizona does it seem to be a problem due to quartz or iron inclusions (I am assuming)  which are not fully removed by the borax and fluxes.   I have tried, a variety of fuels/temps, fluxes, pouring into water, slow cooling, quenching, annealing,  ran the same gold multiple times though the process....  always brittle.   I have not tried grinding to a powder or aqua regia or electrolysis.... yet... haha..                   

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It sounds like you may have some kind of metal like lead, tin, zinc etc in your alloy. You probably need to go beyond smelting and try refining a small batch. If its just gold, silver, and copper then it shouldn't be brittle.

Arizona gold is often associated with galena and lead. Might try a quick cupel experiment. Look up cupeling, i haven't done it myself and I know very little about refining. But if lead is your problem, cupeling may absorb the lead?

Quartz or other iron impurities left over should be visible under a loupe.

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I think Jasong is on the rite path. I was thinking you weren’t annealing it as it was work harden but sounds like you understand that process. 

Smelting it two and three times with borax will remove the quarts and rock so you probably have a high amount of zinc in there. Cuppeling it will draw out the zinc and what not.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you end up with. 

Btw would love to see some pictures of your jewelry. Really cool hobby!

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thanks yeah, ill look up the cupeling, i once tried it with portland cement and some weird low grade galena/gold ore....   maybe with some upgraded materials (and safety equipment)   that just might be the ticket..     

 

Heres a few Jewelry shots for ya, cheers!   Hope to do more gold soon...fullsizeoutput_25f.thumb.jpeg.1c6a9dfa47690e832d0ebbc5c94dd4ce.jpegfullsizeoutput_261.thumb.jpeg.636d875c1f97a6fc13e7f4fd63c21aba.jpegD6D64FB6-5E80-4B09-9880-620DE74B59E4.thumb.jpg.0d46e6851cc490c01be6503a2f54f508.jpg fullsizeoutput_1f7.thumb.jpeg.5ce8b81d3ec827613d3085a3cc937775.jpegfullsizeoutput_25d.thumb.jpeg.0f9dc613306b91dae0a115a888aacdb6.jpeg

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