reduce gold to a substance for electroplating

[Charles, Oak Island, NC]

OK I know some of you can answer this for me. How would you reduce gold as we find it to what is used for electroplating of small items ?

[Cubfan64]

OK I know some of you can answer this for me. How would you reduce gold as we find it to what is used for electroplating of small items ?

As a chemist, you'd think I'd know how to do that, but I honestly don't know for sure. However, here are a few things I know:

1) Raw gold dissolves in Fresh Aqua Regia: 1 part concentrated nitric acid and 3 parts concentrated hydrochloric acid. This is a nasty solution which will immediately start giving off fumes of chlorine and nitrosyl chloride - the more these fumes are released, the less potent the solution becomes.

I would STRONGLY recommend you NOT try messing with this stuff at home (if you can even find the acids in concentrated form) as everything here is extremely corrosive and can cause very quick and nasty chemical burns as well as inhalation issues and other tissue damage (as well as permanent damage to eyes and nasal membranes if contact is made).

The form of the gold in solution at this point however, I don't think is platable.

2) Raw gold will also dissolve in sodium cyanide solution - ALSO a nasty solution and one in which if it becomes acidic will release cyanide gas which could kill you.

I believe alot of gold plating baths are cyanide based, so it's likely that plating can take place from this solution

3) Plating baths are NOT easy to work with until you practice or learn by hand from someone who knows what they're doing. Most often, there is a certain current range needed as well as gold concentration, temperature, agitation, time and pH in order to get good plating - and this doesn't even take into account different additives (copper, nickel, arsenic necessary to also get good color and plating qualities).

My recommendation:

Check out these websites and if you're serious about it, perhaps get a copy of the book or video - I haven't seen either, but I would think each are there to provide hobbyists with information on how to plate gold properly. The bad thing is that with the price of gold, it's not like you can afford to "play around" with it while learning - it would be best if you could find someone locally who could mentor you and teach you how to do it properly.

http://www.pfonline.com/articles/pfd0022.html

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Gold-Plat.../dp/1570021414

http://www.universitypublishinghouse.net/plating.html

Good luck - I'm positive it can be done and would be fun to do, but I wouldn't plan on it being as easy as hooking up some batteries and wires and plugging it in

[Charles, Oak Island, NC]

Cubfan64,
thanks for the response and the information, I will check out the web sites. I don't have any desire to play chemist with chemicals if I can avoid it, Thanks for the warning. The electroplating is not the problem my interest was in converting NC recovered gold to a solution where it could be used in electroplating.
thanks again for your help
Charles

[Cubfan64]

You're welcome. I wish I knew more about it, but it's just not something I have any real experience with.

As an aside, I did work with an older fellow a dozen years or so ago who used to work in a gold plating facility. I know they used cyanide based baths (I'm pretty sure that's a common way to dissolve gold and plate from solution) because he used to tell me that it was common practice for guys to "test" the bath by dipping the end of their finger in and tasting it (it has an almond like flavor) - he swears that he and a number of the old timers there could accurately tell you the cyanide concentration as well as any chemical test (he used to do this back in the 40's and 50's). A bunch of crazy *******s imho :P

To be honest, I'd probably rather handle a sodium cyanide solution than any of the really strong acid solutions I mentioned above. As long as the solution doesn't get acidic, the cyanide won't be released as gaseous hydrogen cyanide which can be fatal.

Let me know if you find anything worthwhile in those links - or maybe one of them will lead you to somewhere else.

Good luck again

[Charles, Oak Island, NC]

Thanks, I'll keep you posted on what I find out. I found this on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/How-To-Make-Gold...QQcmdZViewItem

[Cubfan64]

Ahhh - that looks like exactly what you're looking for!! Definitely let me know how well it works for you - sounds like an interesting "hobby"

[Charles, Oak Island, NC]

Ahhh - that looks like exactly what you're looking for!! Definitely let me know how well it works for you - sounds like an interesting "hobby"

no this would be the byproduct of the hobby which is electroplating motorcycle parts and firearm's. But being a panner (wonder if that's a word) why not use my own gold.

Are you seeing the tax write off yet.(business) Electroplating equipment, panning equipment(spiral wheel), camper to stay at camp sight at gold panning area, travel to and from.

[Cubfan64]

Ahhh - that looks like exactly what you're looking for!! Definitely let me know how well it works for you - sounds like an interesting "hobby"

no this would be the byproduct of the hobby which is electroplating motorcycle parts and firearm's. But being a panner (wonder if that's a word) why not use my own gold.

Are you seeing the tax write off yet.(business) Electroplating equipment, panning equipment(spiral wheel), camper to stay at camp sight at gold panning area, travel to and from.

LOL - I just took notes for future reference

[Charles, Oak Island, NC]

Yep, new business I just started, oh ya tax time, new equipment. Nevvvver make money on a new business for the 1st couple three years.returns, returns.

[Charles, Oak Island, NC]

this seems like a lot of money for what you get:
http://cgi.ebay.com/iShor-Simplicity...QQcmdZViewItem