How To Refine Silver Using Household Chemicals
Topics: silver, refining, gold, collecting, prospecting, hedge against inflation
Throughout history silver has played a major role in all aspects of society. It has been used as a metal of choice for currencies, barter and trade. The bourgeois used it as a metering wealth status. Advances in medicine, electronics and others, are made largely to unique properties of silver.
Silver, along side with gold, are the two precious metals sought after. The supplies are dwindling, while the demand is reaching an all time high.
Not surprisingly, the price of silver has more than tripled in recent years. Both silver and gold are the commodity to hedge against the falling dollar. It is becoming a “must-have” in personal investment portfolios.
Scrap silver is all around us. It comes from variety of sources with diversified metal purity. This article is designed to refine your own silver using readily available household chemicals. The methods you are about to be introduced to will produce more than 99% of pure silver!
The first step in refining is to dissolve the silver. The best way is to use dilute Nitric Acid. Good concentration is around 40 - 50%. Concentrated Nitric Acid is one chemical that will be hard to obtain.
Since 9/11 the availability of Nitric Acid has been drastically reduced and for a good reason. Nitric Acid is one of the main components to make explosives.
For our refining purpose we will need relatively small amount of Nitric Acid. To make this, we will use concentrated Sulfuric Acid. Sulfuric Acid is commonly used as a liquid drain opener, readily available from any hardware store. The one that we will use is more than 95 percent pure. The second ingredient needed is Sodium Nitrate. It is readily available fertilizer from any gardening store.
Pour 200ml of hot distilled water to a pre-heated 1liter Pyrex container, 1 quart mason jar will work. Add approx. 400 gm of Sodium Nitrate to dissolve (Potassium Nitrate can be used as well). Once the Nitrate is completely dissolved allow it to cool down well below the boiling point, but still hot.
To this solution SLOWLY add 110 ml conc. Sulfuric Acid while stirring. Do not allow the solution to boil. Cool the solution to room temperature.
Place the jar in the freezer and allow the solution to reach ~ -5 degrees Celsius. Once all of the precipitate has settled, pour off the solution to a glass container with a tightly sealed lid. Discard the precipitate. (Make sure not to transfer any of the sulfate salt) You have just made over 300ml of ~ 50% Nitric Acid.
Fair Word Of Caution! You are dealing with concentrated acids. Take all safety precautions when dealing with concentrated acids. Make sure you wear rubber gloves, face shield and protective clothing. If you spill any of the acid, wash with plenty of water.
To refine Silver, dissolve several ounces of scrap metal in Nitric Acid. This will take some time, but make sure that all of the metal is in solution. Heating the solution will speed up the reaction. Do Not Boil.
Filter the solution using several coffee filters, keeping the clear solution. The Silver dissolved is in the form of Silver Nitrate.
The easiest way to get the Silver to drop out of the solution is to use Copper. Copper pipe, plate or any piece of solid copper will do.
Suspend the Copper, using household twine in the acid solution. A white-grayish precipitate will start to accumulate around the copper.
Tap gently the suspended Copper, and the Silver precipitate will sink to the bottom. What you are doing here is replacing the Silver Nitrate with Copper Nitrate, causing Silver to drop out of the solution.
Allow the solution to sit overnight and all of the precipitate will settle to the bottom.
The remaining solution should be crystal-blue in color. If not, use more Copper to get all of the Silver out. Filter the solution using several coffee filters, this time keeping the precipitate. Wash it several times using distilled water.
There should not be any blue Copper Nitrate around the filter. Discard the spent solution and dry the filtrate. This precipitate is Silver.
Place the dry precipitate in a crucible or a small graphite container. In a circular motion, using a torch, melt the precipitate in nuggets or the desired shape.
The result is over 99% pure Silver!
Mirko Davidovic is CEO of www.fyi4u.net and winemakingplus.com, with formal education in Chemical Eng.Tech.,Biochemistry and Psychology.
Here is a unique way to accumulate Silver and Gold Never before possible.
www.4r6s.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Factors That Affect Strangle Prices (1)
Ron Ianieri is currently Chief Options Strategist at The Options University, an educational company that teaches investors how to make consistent profits using options while limiting risk. For more information please contact The Options University at www.optionsuniversity.com or 866-561-8227
The Importance Of Alternative Energy Sources (2)
Do your part to keep educated on the latest changes in technology and any up to date with the issues at hand to learn what you can do to help solve the energy crisis.
DIY Solar Power: The Do-It-Yourself Alternative (3)
Converting to alternate energy sources, such as solar power is a way to do your part to help reduce our need for electricity. Not only is it good for the environment, but switching to solar power will also save you money in the long run.
Digital Camera Lens Adapters Improve Your Focus (4)
Although not all digital cameras will adapt to adapters, quite a lot of them will, especially ones made from 2002 onwards. Armed with your knowledge of what brand and model digital camera you have, you can then visit a camera store, electronics store, or an online camera or electronics store.
The Natural And Medical Treatment Of Acne - Revealed (5)
Yes acne and pimples are basically the same thing, pimples are simply a larger, puss filled form of acne. To treat pimples the puss needs to be released, but don't "pop" them yourself, your hand often carry oil and dirt that will get into the pimple making the problem worse.
Women's Hiking Boots Are Just As Rugged (6)
Women's feet are definitely smaller and more delicate than men's feet so they need more protection and padding, while still providing excellent traction. Keep in mind that your feet can easily get injured while hiking and the best way to protect your feet is to provide it with good pair of hiking boots.
Discount Perfume Smells Like The Real Thing (7)
Keywords: discount perfume, discounted perfume When many people think of good scented perfume, they think "that must cost money." However, there are many companies that now that specialize in buying and selling discount perfumes that are virtually the same as what you will find in high priced department stores.
RFID For Event Access Management (8)
Bar Code Security 6. Hologram 7. Sequential Numbering 8. RFID RFID-The Next Level RFID takes event access management to the next level. To start with, RFID gives the organizer the ability to uniquely identify each attendee or paying customer.
7 Ways To Use A Blog To Get A Job (9)
Employers who find your blog want to see that you are self-sufficient and independently creative. If you consistently talk about your lack of employment, it only appears as though there is a reason you do not yet have a job.
Verb Conjugations Made Easy (10)
Your brain is becoming accustomed to finding the right conjugation for the right moment. As time goes on, you'll immediately find the verb form you need with little or no effort.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Student Loan Consolidation Info - Think About Ways To Reduce Your Student Loan Amounts (1)
Keywords: Student Loan Consolidation Info, Student Consolidation Loan Information, Student Loan Consolidation If you need to borrow money to finance your education, you will need to consider your other options before doing so.
Jobs In The Modern Automotive Industry (2)
Seemingly the days of the 'grease-monkey' are over, as the industry evolves those who can work a lap top will be increasingly required to diagnose and repair engine malfunctions. Applicants for jobs in this industry vary from engineering graduates to mechanics' apprentices.
Ideas For Self Employment To Escape The Rat Race (3)
Are you able to plan ahead and work from home? Is there a space that you could work from when the children are at school or asleep? How many hours a day can you set aside to work?
Create Dreamy Kitchens With Cookware (4)
The tight fitting lids on stainless steel cookware will ensure that splatters are reduced and cleaning time will be cut in half in most cases. The whole cleaning process will be simplified once a homeowner achieves a dreamy kitchen because there will be many cleaning features inside many of the kitchenware and cookware products.
Affordable Disney Vacation - A Vacation Package You Can Afford (5)
You also have the option of choosing one of the many private villas and resorts available to stay in. These are rented out by the owners if they are available for the duration you have zeroed in on.
Affordable Disney Vacation - Vacation Planning & Tips (6)
There is no end to the activities too visit and savor in this lavish fantasy world. There are four theme parks, each created in a unique style to keep your days filled with fun and excitement.
What Are Penny Shares? (7)
Keywords: penny shares If you are anything like the majority of the population, then any terminology relating to shares just goes over your head. However, it can be quite important to understand certain terms if you work in the financial sector or are looking to buy some shares.
Designer Shoe Shopping Events At Discount Prices (8)
The levels of success that designer has achieved have not affected the ability of the sales representatives to offer low prices on the shoes. Italian shoe designers have blessed the world with their passion for placing leather uppers on the shoes that they design.
Are You Getting Hot For Zipoff Hiking Pants? (9)
To get the most out of your hard earned money, however, you need to follow the above guidelines when you are shopping for the pants. This way you can ensure that you will be comfortable and what you buy will be durable.
Finding The Perfect Online Dating Site Script (10)
If possible you should think of hiring a SEO professional on a full time basis or at least on a part time basis. Online Marketing The PPC way: Apart from mouth publicity and SEO you should also be very aggressive in your online marketing.