Gold Nuggets Melted Into A Button Using A Potato Crucible @ Les Gold

[@petertgold]

Great video Les, Well presented and explained.

[@lesgold2132]

Hi Peter. Good to hear from you. Hope you are still getting onto the gold.

[@petertgold]

@@lesgold2132 Hopefully will get back to WA this year.

[@lesgold2132]

Good luck Pete. Hope you find a reef 👍

[@rickmihalec2035]

What a beautifull button of gold. Just goes to show how a lot of small pieces make one big one. Well done. Cheers.

[@lesgold2132]

Thanks Rick. I was quite happy with the result.

[@brqndo]

Beautiful video simple steps thank you

[@lesgold2132]

I’m glad that you enjoyed it.

[@blurtmenow]

Hi where did you get the borax? a supermarket item or from chemical supplier? I am in Australia a brand name would be good , Thanks.

[@lesgold2132]

It’s a common item in supermarkets and hardware stores. Woolworths and Bunnings both stock it. Just look in the cleaning sections.

[@Famo59]

Very well demonstrated and explained.. Thanks for sharing your knowledge on using a potato 🥔 and Borax’s. Cheers Famo59 👍🍻⛏⛏

[@lesgold2132]

Thanks Famo. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@relaxwithme786]

Awesome demonstration, what would that button sell for now

[@lesgold2132]

Thanks for the reply. That particular button of gold weighs just over 10 grams. The purity of the gold is about 98%. Gold is around $80 per gram.

[@micksontheroad]

Very informative, thank-you.

[@lesgold2132]

👍 cheers Mick

[@mickr4832]

That’s a great demo does the board’s help take out any impurities Cheers.

[@lesgold2132]

Thanks Mick. The borax helps to take out impurities such as quartz, dirt, ironstone staining etc. It does not remove metallic alloys that are mixed with the gold eg. Silver or copper.

[@kenmorrill3774]

Great video. Subscribed!

[@lesgold2132]

Thanks Ken. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@leighgranland8442]

How come you put more flux in and can you melt more gold at one time with a bigger potatoe

[@lesgold2132]

Hi Leigh. The flux helps to remove impurities from the gold nuggets. It basically floats on top of the gold and sets to a glass like material. It’s better to have a good quantity of flux rather than not enough. As the borax powder melts, it’s mass reduces which allows for more flux to be added. The potato is a simple, cheap crucible. Yes, more gold could be smelted in a larger potato.

[@ChasingGoldAustralia]

Great demonstration on how the process works, great video mate 🤠🇦🇺⛏️

[@lesgold2132]

Thanks CGA. It’s an inexpensive way to melt down some of your small bits.

[@dw2041]

I’m trying this tomorrow! I’m going to try and cut a Kit Kat like bar shape for mine 😂. Only using 10g of nuggets as well.

[@lesgold2132]

Good luck with it. Let us all know how it goes

[@DaveyD71]

Is that a "Yukon Gold Potatoe" ? 😂

[@lesgold2132]

😁

[@Sweezy42069]

I would recomned doing this in a space with good ventilation as well as wearing thr proper PPE since the fumes released during the melting process can be extremely toxic.

[@lesgold2132]

Good point. Thanks for the input.