DIY Treasure: Copper Smelting for Fun and Profit

Uncover the secrets of backyard copper smelting and turn metal into money. This video will show you how to turn green rocks into valuable bullion with easy-to-follow instructions and expert tips. So if you are looking for a new hobby or a side hustle, smelting copper can be both fun and profitable.
Furnace Kits at : goldkilnsusa.com/
Fluxes : makeyourowngoldbars.com/
Don't forget to check out my wife's channel - Lila and Jeff
/ @lilaandjeff5215
If you liked this video, then please Consider Subscribing and as always Smash that Like button.
Join our community and get on the AU Team :
Patreon - / askjeffwilliams
Instagram - / askjeffwilliamsllc
Web Site -- www.askjeffwilliams.com
Facebook -- / ask-jeff-williams-1414...
Make a Donation to help us " Keep the Dream Alive " : www.losttreasurestories.com/do...
Any Equipment you buy from this list helps support our Channel.
( paid link's )
Gold Panning Equipment :
Panning Stand: amzn.to/2YQnkI1
Garret Super Sluice: amzn.to/2yTbBsv
Garret Gold Panning Kit: amzn.to/2H4Skc9
Snuffer Bottle: amzn.to/2yYyw5C
Mining Tools:
Jewelers Loupe 10x: amzn.to/2Z5xaRy
Estwing Rock Pick: amzn.to/2Z1tCzt
Hard Hat w/ Light: amzn.to/2YH3PRX
Light for Mining Hard Hat: amzn.to/33t0BjH
2 mode Light for Hard Hat:amzn.to/2H4TkNp
Large Paleo pick: amzn.to/2H4XgxA
Metal detecting equipment:
Whites TRX Pinpointer: amzn.to/2H39siy
Falcon MD 20: amzn.to/2Kxhp1I
Whites GMT w/ extra Coil: amzn.to/2KGROCj
Garret ATX Metal Detector: amzn.to/33rDG8o
Minelab Gold Monster 1000: amzn.to/2Z9erIV
Minelab GPX-4500 Metal Detector: amzn.to/31JKUDh
Minelab GPX 5000 Metal Detector: amzn.to/2H3GPSt
Minelab GPZ 7000 Metal Detector: amzn.to/2MZe6Sm
Large mining equipment:
Gold Hog Multi Sluice: amzn.to/2TptCZ5
Gold Cube: amzn.to/2TrH26J
Gold Cube Trommel: amzn.to/2TrH26J
Gold Hog Sluice: amzn.to/2H3lLeu
Cobra Crusher: amzn.to/2KtAJge
Hammer Drill: amzn.to/2yWoqCl
Impact Mills : www.makeyourowngoldbars.com/ro...
Books :
Gold Mining in the 21sy Century: www.amazon.com/Gold-Mining-21...
Fistful of Gold by Chris Ralp : www.amazon.com/Fists-Full-Gol...
Follow the Drywashers: www.amazon.com/Follow-Drywash...
Prospecting for Hardrock Gold: www.amazon.com/Advanced-Prosp...
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
OTHER VIDEOS YOU MAY LIKE:
Gold from our New Mine;
• Finding Some of the Bi...
When will Lumber Prices Go Down:
• When Will Lumber Price...
Best Mining Tool Ever :
• This Little Tool Will ...
Motherlode:
• THERES SO MUCH GOLD ! ...
This Can Lead You To Massive Amounts of Gold:
• THIS CAN LEAD YOU TO M...
Incredible Gold:
• Our Newest Mineshaft i...
Gravel Bar Gold :
• Where To Find Gold In ...
Old Dynamite :
• How to Make Old Dynami...
Old Dynamite Boxes Found :
• Look What We Found in ...
This Will Lead you to Gold:
• NEW Machine will Lead ...
Monster Gold Nugget Found.
• Monster Gold Nugget fo...
Abandoned Ghost Town:
• ABANDONED GHOST TOWN i...
$1 Million in Gold Nuggets in Pile of Dirt:
• $1 Million in Gold Nug...
Body Found at 500 Foot Level of Abandoned Mine
• CAMERA DROPPED DOWN MI...
GOLD | GEOLOGY - What Rocks to Look For
• GOLD | GEOLOGY - What...
How to Metal Detect for Gold Nuggets.
• How to Find Gold Every...
RECORD BREAKING !!! || Single Biggest Gold Nugget Ever
• RECORD BREAKING !!! ||...
$10,000 in Gold Found Metal Detecting
• $10,000 in Gold found ...
BEAUTIFUL WOMAN - Caught Gold Digging
• I Married a Gold Digge...
RICH GOLD VEIN FOUND !!!! Epithermal Deposit.
• RICH GOLD VEIN FOUND |...
Biggest Clean Up in KZbin History.
• BIGGEST CLEAN OUT YET ...
THE GEOLOGY of GOLD !!! What Rocks and Minerals to look for.
• THE GEOLOGY of GOLD - ...
ROCKS and GOLD !!!! Geology 101
• FIND GOLD in ROCK'S - ...
HOW TO FILE A MINING CLAIM !! Lode and Placer.
• HOW TO FILE A MINING C...
GOLD FROM PYRITE !!!! How To Do It
• GOLD FROM PYRITE !!!! ...
So C'mon....Let's Go !!!!!
#askjeffwilliams #coppersmelting
#backyardbullion

[@Askjeffwilliams]

It's amazing how much Copper you can get from crushing and smelting down a small rock of Malachite ore. If anyone has a better way of doing it, please leave us a comment on how to do that. PLUS - all the Copper we smelted down today we will be giving away ....how do ya like them beans. Next, we will turn that Copper into Gold using the Philosophers stone ....stay tuned .

[@VendettaProspecting]

THERE YOU GO BOSS!! LETS COPPER!!!!!

[@motokenzo763]

In a previous life I sold air pollution monitoring systems to a smelter in AZ. They have some of the scariest smokestacks I've ever been up! 🤠

[@VendettaProspecting]

@@motokenzo763 Intresting, I remember as a kid seeing active chimnies but not anymore! Thanks !!

[@kenkarish826]

I think if you heat up your molds the bars will come out better.

[@sgtsuperhate9796]

Could you use electrolysis to remove the copper

[@Jake_7Collector]

Everybody needs at least one dude like this in their lives I love this guys energy! Thank you for sharing brother God bless! 👍

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks

[@stevensysk7711]

Heat the mold red hot before and during the pouring, the shock of heat difference is minimal. Try skimming some of the slag off before you pour.

[@johnh8615]

Sreetips has a torch aimed into the mould as he pours the metal in it keeps it right up to temperature till the end of the pour.

[@bitsofeverything8385]

Copper boils way faster than gold, sreetips melts gold or silver only.

[@jimcatanzaro7808]

I agree I have better pours and avoid fast cooling I also use a bigger mold it doesn’t have to be filled to the top a 5oz to 10oz molds are nice and they avoid spill over

[@jimcatanzaro7808]

⁠not really I have been melting and don’t have problems

[@insAneTunA]

If anyone knows how to cast nice metal bars it will be the Australian guy from the bigstackD Casting YT channel. He made an art out of making metal bars from all sorts of scrap metal. He also shows how he does it, and how he gives the bars a nice finishing polish. I'm sure that if you watch his videos that you can learn from it. And besides that it is a joy to watch his videos.

[@jamiedubois5052]

I agree 100%

[@jacobbevers8171]

I think it’s New Zealand…but Aussie still I guess…

[@solace4692]

I like it when Jeff pretends his a novice, he explains "see the mistake" I made, so, other words, don't go be a fart smeller and do this here at home kids, thermal shocking, water vaper creating bubbles in the cast. If anything, it's being in a hurry, having stage fright to perform in front of camera lences in a timeous fashion and not the fact that he does not know. OH he knows, OH the humanity...take 6...

[@supra8795]

Yup, he's good

[@nickstevens2927]

I asked BigstackD to do a copper ore video a couple of years ago , as far as I know he still hasn’t done it . But I am more than happy to be corrected. Well done Jeff for doing it .

[@SueCooke]

They say you learn something new everyday, and today I learnt all about copper. Loved it. Thank you so much Jeff. Years ago I can remember watching my dad melt down lead to make fishing weights. Always fascinated me. But, through dad's work trade, he ended up with severe lead poisoning! So, whenever he melted down lead, he had to drink a pint of full fat milk. This helped to neutralise the lead in his system. He's nearly 83 & having radiotherapy treatment (had 3rd dose today) but he does buy the fishing weights instead now!! Many thanks for all your hard work Jeff. Much appreciated. Take care.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thats great Sue, you betcha and you too

[@alldayidreamaboutsteak551]

Wtf is great bout what Sue said. You fw

[@amefeu4259]

To get a decent looking bar from metal, you should get your mold hot enough that it glows and keep it there until you are finished pouring, this allows the metal to stay liquid for longer so that bubbles rise up and out, and the liquid is able to level off. You'll still likely get some defects from the bar shriveling up in the cold, but it'll shine up very well.

[@dionh70]

I've seen other people also sprinkle some powdered graphite in their mold when they pour in their smelted metals. Does that make a significant difference?

[@amefeu4259]

@@dionh70 If you are using a steel mold or similar, it helps improve the finish and release of the metal, but if you use a graphite mold it's made of the stuff.

[@87mattjt]

The preheating technique is what Sreetips uses on his channel, he usually uses map gas or acetylene

[@stephenwerle4509]

And if you cool the bar slower the wrinkling will be less significant

[@davejohnson9867]

Hey Big boy! It's me Dave from Florida! I love the fact that you are doing videos again, anything you do is cool with me!

[@robertlewis6736]

Grinding it up is the answer Jeff.

[@ismailadanismailaden6790]

Thanks for your hard working friend Mr Jeff.keep up

[@Askjeffwilliams]

You are very welcome

[@boblemon8337]

I used your Parkes process from a long time ago. It worked perfectly

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Great to hear!

[@krisantomorinico6121]

And thank you enough you are the man I like all your educational videos thank you thank you Jeff for taking the time to do that there's people out here that that really love that profession and are just learning and thank God it's through you good man

[@trevorwhat]

Ok, that was just great. Thanks, Jeff.

[@moonriderfast1210]

Another fantastic video .......goot job.

[@sathancat]

All these years and you're still making great, entertaining videos :)

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks

[@lisah7304]

This exciting and extremely cool! Thanks, now i know the ancient secrets of working with semi precious stones.

[@walt436]

Was working with copper all day and was wondering the smelting process. Loved the video and answered my questions!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Glad I could help!

[@theknifejoker99]

Another cool video JW! Have a great weekend!!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks and you too

[@boneheadredneck]

This is great. This guy is great and heck think i learned something! I gotta see what other videos this guy has!

[@davidsellars646]

Many years ago, I visited a copper smelter in upper Michigan. They poured the copper into molds made of copper. Immediately after the mold was filled, the whole thing was sprayed with water. Shortly after, the ingots were solid enough to be dumped out of the mold into a pool of water. The ingots were quite nice looking, being only slightly discoloured. Possibly a mold of the same material resulted in the ingots being so nice,

[@solace4692]

Great to see Jeff up and about, don't care none, just the smelting of mental is enough to get my AU boiling.

[@ennova9745]

Thanks for all the education you've given me over the years bub

[@Askjeffwilliams]

you betcha

[@markbirchette8740]

Jeff, you always make your videos Interesting, informative and fun!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

I appreciate that!

[@joshuajackson6442]

Smelting is so much fun!

[@violettracey]

This was a fun video!

[@kellymeade4587]

Powder!!! Let’s Goooooooo!!!

[@jamiedriscoll5411]

You are so funny! Awesome video to learn what smelting is 😊

[@rockymountainlifeprospecti4423]

Awesome Jeff!! I know where some is at! Thanks for sharing video, this'll is definitely being saved!! All the best to you and family!!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks ...there is a mine full of it called Copper World

[@jackson777ification]

Awesome video! !! !!! !! !!! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! !!!

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Loved the whole process, Jeff. Very informative, couldn’t turn it off if we wanted to.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks you two

[@gtjohnson1216]

Looking good ☺️

[@matthewgardenstheglobeboec7153]

Hi Mr. JEFF, (and Slim) Post bar making you can use tomato paste to clean copper. The acidity of 🍅 🍅 🍅 cleans the bottoms of my copper kitchen pans quite well. Worth a shot smart feller.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks

[@javed1039]

Haven't seen you in over a year bless u jeff

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks

[@mitchelefler8819]

Thanks Jeff, I have a few good copper vain’s on one or two of my claims. I haven’t done anything yet the copper yet. Because I wasn’t sure how to smelt it out. So thanks again & please keep the videos coming.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

you betcha

[@garydonaghue619]

What a great video Jeff. Very interesting to see this and that great ripper shout out, at 58 seconds. And the extra funny stuff…. The ear guy and the “what’s that?” guy.. love watching.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Glad you enjoyed it Gary

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

Cool! I recently collected a small pile of Malachite I may try this !

[@irootsk]

We had silver and copper mines here in my region in Slovakia - where mining ended around 1789-179x...

[@vonwitttz5954]

Thank you for posting this video it was only the other day I was asking you about the blue Rock

[@Askjeffwilliams]

and here it is

[@shineyrocks390]

Just the man I needed to see. Go Go Gadget information 😂

[@scotttighe8569]

I can't wait to come out there & hunt for heavy elements.

[@rusticstonetree]

Good information

[@glendadalejones3753]

*Very interesting Jeff Williams 🙌👌☺️* Yes,I smashed it 😃

[@oregonlife2323]

Another great one

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Thanks again!

[@jamesshank2601]

Nice can't wait to hear from you Jeff so come on let's go

[@Askjeffwilliams]

here I am sonny Jim

[@helanaweddingfeld9157]

I live in Nevada and I have alot of those rocks on my property. Thanks for the tip

[@Askjeffwilliams]

You bet!

[@harleyv1969]

Thanks Jeff I have copper all around me I'm going to refer to this one when or if I start 👍🙏

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Thank You for that Harles69 , we really appreciate it

[@nelsonminingandabandonedplaces]

Great video Jeff. i am in process of crushing the copper ore i got from the old mine then gonna smelt it.

[@ronaldmillard8994]

So I'm back on the Patron list! Yeah!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Thats Great Ronald

[@donaldhoot7741]

I did just the opposite a while back. I turned copper into it's salts with different acids. Fun times!

[@aaa-yt8wl]

Adamım seni tebrik ediyorum...sen bu işi güzel yapıyorsun...sağol....kendine iyi bak...

[@jenniferbalbas8367]

What up Jeffery Scott here Hey, that's awesome, beautiful stuff. Thank you for sharing that smelting fun. I'll tell ya what though, it looks freakin hot! Oh that's right, it wasn't hot at all, due to the cozy weather. Lol Hilarious!!🤣🙂

[@Askjeffwilliams]

hahahahaha thanks

[@waywardwoodward]

You gotta eat the beans first! That’s the secret to a good pour! Thanks for the fun content and the knowledge!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

I knew it ....thanks

[@meganhendrickson297]

Crushed easy one

[@birdman1843]

I own a copper mining claim right in the northern copper belt of Namibia . I’m definitely going to research and try this

[@chrispedersen5578]

Goldurn it Crushinator, jump! No Pa, I love him.

[@scottbishop7899]

Crushing the ore qill be a faster/better reaction because crushing the ore will increase the surface area exposed to the chemicals/gases during the reaction in the furnace.

[@jayo-motter-pops]

That sound at 7:30 is so cool

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

I love this kind of thing. More flux chemistry is more better!

[@togr824get]

I just came across this video and I'm so glad..Bro you're f*ckin hilarious....I'm talking seriously entertaining..Can't wait to watch more of your content !!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

just keep them pants on ....we got more on the way

[@tjbeep]

Great video! Can't wait for Jeff to make a video on how to make gunpowder out of sulfur rock and charcoal, hint, hint!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

and Potassium Nitrate

[@tjbeep]

@@Askjeffwilliams Yessirree! That stuff doesn't grow on trees!!😄

[@jd70harryharris80]

Awesome video old son .. 🤘😎

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Thanks 👍

[@misterdudemanguy9771]

Come on, let's go!!!

[@hainanwestasia]

thanks for sharing

[@Askjeffwilliams]

My pleasure

[@hunnybunnysheavymetalmusic6542]

2 things for a good copper bar: 1: you gotta top it off with flux when you reheat it, and 2, then you reheat it in the mold [typically in a refractory/heat-treating type oven] and let it sit there at the melting point for 2 hours, then really slowly let it cool back to at least the freezing point before letting it completely cool outside of the kiln/oven.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

thanks

[@lisah7304]

52.5 gms WOW TOO COOL! If and when I find precious metals, I’ll leave it to the professionals Jeff

[@tjprospecting4541]

Nice video bud I go up to copper country quite often... Aka the keweenaw peninsula of Michigan... Going to have to try some of the techniques you use in your videos

[@alpineflauge909]

awesome sauce

[@Askjeffwilliams]

😋

[@peterbell5806]

Yes!

[@jenniferbalbas8367]

Also, great beans!!

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Very interesting video Jeff we really liked this one, so we smashed the flux out of your like button!

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Thanks so much

[@SueCooke]

Smashed the flux! Lol! Why did I find that very tongue in cheek? Or is it just my way of thinking 🤔?? 😂 Hope you're both keeping well over there my lovelies & not too hot 🥵 Stay safe.

[@thomasmckay9878]

Very cool. Great information my brain will forget

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Glad to help

[@donaldhoot7741]

You can put cardboard under your crucible if you don't have bone ash. It forms a thin layer of ash. Cool!

[@jonathannorthup5705]

Very hot mold 👌with a bit of graphite or sawdust to eat the oxygen and stop sticking 👌

[@HALIYALBETAGERIVLOG2024]

Exalent super 👌 Sir

[@restorator7]

There's something you put in molten copper to keep it from absorbing nitrogen. Grant Thompson struggled with that. I know copper is more common and less valuable, but that color has got to be the prettiest and most unique in the periodic table. It all deserves to be cast into cool steampunk-looking machine parts or something.

[@eileenhernandez7541]

Awesome

[@bitsofeverything8385]

The mineral itself is more beautiful, and in my opinion more valuable than the garbage piece of copper you get, besides all the process needed and cancer from the dust. Nice and informative video anyhow.

[@Famo59]

Eureka Yeee Haaa I think I will keep the course natural looking Copper nuggets Jeff.. Well done on sharing your process on converting natural copper oar to bars.. Have a wonderful weekend Jeff and Lila.. Cheers Tony Famo59 and Wendy 👍🥂⛏🤓

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Thanks 👍 Tony , you too my friend and heal up soon .....need to get you back in the gold fileds

[@Famo59]

@@Askjeffwilliams 👍🥂

[@markanderson3740]

damn, that's some pretty green rock

[@billdgen116]

That was definitely cool. That hot stuff splashing is that from not heating up the molds. Be safe thank you for sharing ✌️ 🙏

[@Askjeffwilliams]

that was from a little water in the pan

[@billdgen116]

@@Askjeffwilliams thanks for letting me know.

[@jackermis3104]

Good afternoon from Northern Wisconsin.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

afternoon

[@deannakaracostas7939]

I like the music too.

[@itatane]

You can also use a piece of cardboard under the crucible to keep it from sticking. (Tip courtesy of a BigstackD channel subscriber.)

[@lawrencerenew8668]

Hey Jeff, that’s awesome, always loved smelting. If you get a chance, look up Steetips on KZbin. This guy is a genius meticulous garage chemist. He shows precise brake down on gold and silver. I think a smart feller like you will enjoy it. Your copper should be 4.3 Oz

[@matthewbarnes646]

Sreetips you mean? I agree 100% he has a great YT library of high purity refining tech. His bars beautiful.

[@lawrencerenew8668]

@@matthewbarnes646 yes I spelled it correctly in the second comment. “Predictive text” 😁

[@Havasu79]

Thanks Jeff🤪

[@Askjeffwilliams]

you betcha

[@ANCIENTASTRONAUT411]

Get da coppa raw hide hahaha hey Jeff

[@mikeking6851]

First of all, Thanks for all your hard work and great videos. The most likely source for advice for cooking and pouring would be Jason. He uses a cone mold almost all the time. Large enough to hold all the stuff you are pouring. I've seen Dan Hurd, yourself, Brent Underwood and others pour bars with limited success. The one channel where I saw pretty good results pouring bars (silver) was Rob Finds Treasure. Robs copper bars look like bread also. I'd try Jason first. He helped Brent recently with lead and silver. Best wishes...oh yeah!!!

[@dionh70]

BigStackD is a channel where he smelts all kinds of recovered metals into ingots in his garage. His results vary, but he seems to use a variety of techniques while pouring, so his ingots vary as well.

[@mikeking6851]

Lots of folks grind a polish to get a smoother or extreme smooth and shiny finish.

[@William_Hada]

Heating your molds up before pouring would help to get rid of any moisture in/on the molds. Steam generated from that moisture would cause bubbles on the surface. A tiny bit of water will expand into a large volume of steam.

[@darrenbrisson4336]

He's in the desert how much moisture in the mold can there be ?

[@William_Hada]

@@darrenbrisson4336 If you have oxides on the mold surface and traces of other salts from previous use you have a potential to hydrate those salts with water molecules. This water is not just sitting on the surface but is actually locked tightly into the salt structure. The humidity in the surrounding air might be very low there but it is never zero. These salts can pull water directly right out of the air. That's how those silica gel packets work to bring down humidity. This " water of hydration " is so tightly bound in the salt structure it can only be freed with extremely high temperatures. Molten metals like copper are at a high enough temperature to explosively release the water as steam bubbles in the molten metal.

[@jamesdarke5641]

Get a Propane Torch like a Bernzomatic TS8000 (Swirl flame version) and lay it flat flaming the mould from above while you get the crucible so it keeps the mould heated, and keep it going on the bar surface during and for 4-5 seconds after pouring. Slows the surface cooling of the bar. Same method to get smooth PGM bars

[@deadmau5fiver]

Smash it!!!!!

[@glentimmins7560]

Sweet ⛏️

[@jonathannorthup5705]

Addrock and bigstackd use cardboard under the crucible when firing copper to stop sticking must just be that ash that stops the sticking if you need to penny pinch 👌

[@Askjeffwilliams]

exactly

[@ChthonicRocks]

when we were purring molten chocolate in the mold we tap it so that the liquid gets settled all around and the air bubbles go away. dont know about copper but it works with choco 😁

[@richardwarnock2789]

Looked a bit of gold in the chunky ✨️ they heat up the molds

[@dovidmh9825]

You have a great personality…AND.. you have found your Stride… A Perfect Storm if Blessing… Enjoy your Blessed Life… i am🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Thank you! You too!

[@joelkevinstewart5594]

Jewelers Cloth, to shine up them bars! (And gold!)

[@punkinhaidmartin]

You need a deeper bar mold to produce the layering that happens in the cone mold.

[@ichigokurasaki8426]

You gotta do some gold smelting next man!!!!

[@aumetalmental8403]

Heat the mold before and while pouring. That way material doesn't start solidify immediately, when it hits cold mold. Flows much smoother.✌️😎

[@011CJ]

I'm a fart smeller when it comes to smelting jk I haven't even coated my foundry yet and it has almost been a year .many if I find some green rock it will motivate me. Thanks again for the vids