Gold Processing

[7.62marksman]

well it happened
fingers burnt
bark chips on fire
dog runs away
partner states to obvious (i am an idiot)
and believe it or not you can not run the furnace - fridge - internet - radio - tv and then try to put the kettle on for coffee off the one fuse it does not work
so lesson is use the furnace on a circuit that does not have lots of gear already running off it
first second and third melts have gone well

 

[7.62marksman]

new gold new melt 1.90oz at a test of 18kt+
this one was not buffed it is how the slag dropped off nothing else was done

not a good picture but it is nice and shiny looks nothing like the photo

 

[Norvic]

Well, what a read, I have a electric furnace sounds much like yours I bought on ebay probably 15 or so years back. Holds max 3kg crucible, works a treat. I just use Borax from Bunnings, Mitre 10 or wherever, add a couple of teaspoons of Epsom salts to borax, this makes the process a bit more "vigorous" and ensures the lighter stuff all floats to surface. Usually I leave it "cook" for 21/2 hours per pour. I don`t concern myself too much with cleaning up the panned off crushings... quartz, sand etc will float no dramas.

 

[7.62marksman]

all in all the furnace works so good just add everything and walk away come back in a hour and its done than add more or just switch off sure does take all the work out of it
This is my new baby

 

[thedigger]

Marksman I have operated a furnace like that for many years,the thing that you have to be careful of is when melting gold with high Kt the temp has to be high,and this leads to the crucible wearing on the side near the bottom,and it will break and drop your gold in to the bottom,that is what you would call a BXXXXX.

 

[Simmo]

Marksman I have operated a furnace like that for many years,the thing that you have to be careful of is when melting gold with high Kt the temp has to be high,and this leads to the crucible wearing on the side near the bottom,and it will break and drop your gold in to the bottom,that is what you would call a BXXXXX.

Good info mate. Yeah I forgot about that, those crucibles have a 'use by date', I think I would use for a little longer but thats what its there for, to try and prevent what 'thedigger mentions.

 

[7.62marksman]

Ok thanks guys all good info i will get some more to be on the safe side

 

[thedigger]

You can see them wearing

 

[alwayslooking]

Hello Marksman,

I have only melted gold a few times so I am a complete amateure but here is what I did. I ordered the little white silica cruce and graphite mold from China and waited a month for it to arrive. I used my blacksmith forge for heat and I laid some firebrick on the coke with a gap between them so the fire could reach the cruce. Then built a enclosure from firebrick to hold the heat. I used borax from the hardware store and mixed it in equal parts with the gold then heated it up. The borax turned to glass and the ingots tested at 95% pure. If you want pure gold just sell yours and buy some .999 bars from the mint. Good luck

 

[7.62marksman]

Thats good yours turned out mine would have but for my own stupid fault and contamination
My last few melts have been cleaning it up more and more each time it not a case that i want .999 it that when i sell it i know its as pure as i can get it
Time is no problem as this stage i don't need the money so i will just plodding along until it cleans up