Scrap Silver Refining (Part 1) Digestion

In this series I'll be refining a small batch of miscellaneous sterling and dirty scrap silver. Part 1 shows the initial incineration and chemical digestion processes. Further in the series we'll cover the filtration of our solution, cementing our silver out of solution, and setting up a small electrolytic silver cell.
Do not attempt any of these procedures with out the proper training and safety equipment. You could cause permanent injury to yourself or others.
#Silver #PreciousMetals #Lithic

[@goldsilverjunkie]

You and SREETIPS are the OG KZbin refiners

[@Steelythestacker]

I concur. They won't be teaching anyone bad habits like some of the hokie refiners I've seen.

[@shaun4443]

I really enjoy watching these, thanks, Jeff!

[@LithicMetals]

Great to hear! Thanks, Jason!! 😁

[@user-lb8do4ew6k]

I found using a strong solution of alum eats all the steel out but it take about 3-5 days. I just put the whole mess in a crockpot on low. Makes watch-bands & big lots of junk jewelry a breeze.

[@frantiseklaluch6605]

Watching silver disolve for 40 minutes... exciting 😀 EDIT: 40 minutes later... lesson learned - sort the scrap before disoving... teach kids, how to do it... let them do it... 😀

[@ericrhetta8412]

Just found you, subbed for great content! Semper FI

[@LithicMetals]

Thanks so much, Eric! Glad to have you with me! 😁

[@Socialshug]

🤣😂🤣🤣😜😝😜 Are you George Clooney? I instantly recognized your voice. You can’t hide from me. 😜😝🤣😂🤣🤣

[@LithicMetals]

Lol I wish I was that cool. Thanks for watching!

[@Socialshug]

@@LithicMetals yw, I loved it! Subscribed! 😊

[@terryfolkerts6379]

Nice job. What do you do with the stones from the silver you process

[@LithicMetals]

Thanks. I generally save them, give them to kids and such. Most aren't as valuable as you might imagine.

[@terryfolkerts6379]

Costume jewelry, I create show jewelry for the film industry, so I was a bit curiouse thanks

[@edcglassworks5771]

The plates you set on top of the beakers, are the borosilicate glass too? Or just some clear glass plates?

[@LithicMetals]

Most of them are just clear glass. So I do have to be careful about sudden temp changes.

[@ericomartins9794]

I have a question: can the incineration process be done with chemistry? Since dilute sulfuric acid only attacks metals below copper could you use a piranha solution to remove the organic residues?

[@LithicMetals]

Possible yes. But that's added waste material you need to deal with. I personally would stick with a torch.

[@quantroots]

Can you reuse the nitric acid if you have some more silver you want to dump in there?

[@LithicMetals]

Yes, up to the point where the solution is saturated with copper up to 60g/L. But I generally won't push it that far.

[@quantroots]

@@LithicMetals Now I understand that the nitric acid is 'spent' as it dissolves the metal, and that so long as it causes a reaction, it's still got some life left in it. A few months ago I didn't understand that part.

[@LithicMetals]

@@quantroots well I apologize for my extremely delayed response! Somehow I missed your comment.

[@quantroots]

@@LithicMetals no problem! 🙂

[@tres155]

have you ever done a video on reverse electroplating gold plated/filled jewelry process and if not will you do one ? Im having trouble determining what you do after you have reverse electroplated the gold and you have your black liquid.

[@LithicMetals]

Dang, I ready don't mess with plating. I suggest researching on goldrefiningforum.com You'll def find the answers you need there!

[@user-zs2he4ot9d]

How much time it takes to finish the reaction when you put water and nitric acid and silver can u please help me

[@LithicMetals]

It varies on your consideration of acid, the temperature, and the volume of material you're processing.

[@richardbaham6813]

So, if i use constitutional silver, i would use the same method 🤔

[@feistyfraggle]

How do you neutralize nitric acid after the process?

[@LithicMetals]

Hi Dara, it's a bit of a process. I'll be making a video of it eventually. In short, it goes into my waste container where I drop any remaining values with copper. I eventually drop the copper with iron. Adjust the ph to render it harmless. Then separate the solids from the liquid, then it goes to my local waste collection station. :)

[@maheshbagal5487]

Sir, in India we have 40 to 60% old silver like chain, bracelet, payal, we want to refine it, how to refine process of 20 kg, please replay.

[@LithicMetals]

Find a local professional refiner.

[@HardKnocksTime]

How many hours would you expect about 650 grams of 900 "coin silver to dissolve? Also, when you cement out the silver with copper, do you double the volume of solution with distilled water. Say you had 200 ml of solition. Youd add 200ml of distilled water for a total of 400ml then drop the copper in?

[@karimrazak3798]

1000 grams of silver is extracted from crystal

[@chasedevlin9396]

What strength of nitric acid do you use?

[@LithicMetals]

67.2%

[@chasedevlin9396]

Thankyou for all the awesome videos and tips, this is something Iv been wanting to get into since I was a kid and coming across all your videos has definitely ignited that fire right back up

[@LithicMetals]

Just remember, these experiments want to kill you. I don't want you to attempt these processes before you invest in all the proper safety equipment and knowledge necessary for you to process the material safely! I want you to live a long life!

[@francesc517]

can 52% nitric acid dissolve silver? or is it necessarily 65%?

[@LithicMetals]

Yes. Diluted to 10% it will still work. As long as there are free nitrates in solution scooting around in there, they are digesting base metals.

[@francesc517]

@@LithicMetals thank you so much

[@francesc517]

@@LithicMetals do you advise me to dilute it a little with water or to put only acid at 52%?

[@LithicMetals]

@@francesc517 ideally, I'd like you to know the answer to that question yourself through research, before you begin any such experiment. I want you to be safe! That said, I would would start by covering your scrap with distilled water, then add your nitric in increments until you get the reaction you're happy with.

[@francesc517]

@@LithicMetals Thanks for your interest. I searched Google but couldn't find any documents to learn, so I'm seeing videos on KZbin. I am Italian and there are no videos in Italian on KZbin, perhaps Italians do not know how to do these things. I am watching a lot of videos and you are very good, but being in English, I understand little. I plan to get pure silver from 835/1000 silver coins. When I understand everything, I'll do the experiment. Your method is faster and easier. I have seen that there are those who use hcl, salt, sugar, caustic sada. Hello and thanks for the advice.

[@civiprepper]

nitric acid is expensive, you could have used the parkes process first.

[@LithicMetals]

Naw... nitric isn't very expensive. And the last thing I want to do is add zinc and lead to the mix. Don't worry, I got this. 🙂

[@civiprepper]

@@LithicMetals Indeed, your videos are great. I was assuming the price of HNO3 was the same in the US as the UK. Here it is very pricy and access is over controlled. We are more likely to use a furnace and use borax and cement to oxididize the base metals first.

[@TheMilwaukieDan]

STREETIPS makes his own Nitric

[@gaggiggable]

I guess this is where "prep work" comes into play - yes?

[@LithicMetals]

Indeed 🙂

[@duanetucker]

Has anyone ever called you Heisenberg?

[@Zeke-id2bo]

My dude! Stop tapping your metal tongs on your glass beaker! Lol!

[@LithicMetals]

tongs... lol

[@Zeke-id2bo]

@@LithicMetals 😋 that's what I call them! I just finished watching a bunch of your videos, really enjoyed them! I do this as a hobby.

[@LithicMetals]

@@Zeke-id2bo no no, you're absolutely right! Lol "tongs" just sounded funny at the moment... you say it... "tongs" lol. Sorry, I'm still a child lol. Thanks so much for watching my vids, I appreciate you being here!

[@gaggiggable]

Nitric is expensive at this point - we don't have luxuries to " test or play" - maybe do more checks on your initial product? Love your finish, I know you will get it right, but cringe on the way......not would I would do - guess I'll make some more videos - there is a way to supplement or starve a silver reaction - I'm gonna start videos and show this

[@LithicMetals]

I really have no idea what you're getting at... 🤔 I need more info! 😁

[@JackKinley-qg5il]

I know I am years late but I think it was the stones