How to separate and purify platinum?

[Bobadilla]

Hi,
I was given two pieces of melted platinum (see the photos). They are pretty heavy, the original material was found in a mine in the mountains. I tested both with the jewelers stone and liquid and it resulted 100% positive for platinum. The problems I face are the following: I do not know what is the contents of platinum is in each respective sample ( I mean how much %) and then how to separate the platinum from other metals because I suppose that it cannot be pure. The bigger sample weights 174 grams and the smaller one 54 grams, but I was told that if it is pure platinum, it should weight almost double.
So, my friends, you are experts and professionals in this field, not me, so I would like to ask you for help and for some explications. Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Lobo

 

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[Jason in Enid]

It takes serious equipment to purify platinum from what I have read. the Spanish miners used to throw it away as trash when they refined their gold and silver.

 

[Bobadilla]

Thanks Jason, I was afraid that it would not be easy.....

 

[Oakview2]

Platinum nuggets of that size would be quite rare and valuable, I would establish that before I started using acid or heat. JMHO

 

[Jimmydolittle]

Go to Gold Refining Forum and ask this question. GOLD REFINING FORUM - GOLD REFINERS HELPING ONE ANOTHER

 

[Hoser John]

Precipitation after a very long boiling cook in aqua regia(over 3 hours) is the way to go. To precipitate you use ,1 tablespoon of ammonia chloride to 1 cup of water, but first gold/silver must be removed by precipitation also/filtering all numerous times.The Placer Miners Alchemy Cookbook,Robin Lee author, has the very long process step by step.It also has 4 other methods for gold/silver/pt recoveries. Tough stuff to recover from hardrock but can be done after much grinding to microscopic size. When you talk other members of the pt group rhodium,indium,osnium forget it as lab needed-John

 

[dredgeman]

Crush and grind material as fine as you can. Roast material, then use the acid of choice. Drop with ammonium chloride.

The goldrefiningforum.com is a great source and has a lot work with platinum cat material that will help with what you are doing.

 

[Bobadilla]

John and Dredgeman,
Thanks a lot for your help!

Regards,
Lobo

 

[Hoser John]

Go get'm man as worth much more than gold even John

 

[Bobadilla]

Go get'm man as worth much more than gold even John

Is there any place where they would buy this material in the form I have it? I mean, it is definitely not pure platinum, I do not know how much platinum contain these samples, I only know that there is a platinum. Thanks for advices....

Regards,
Lobo

 

[KevinInColorado]

Check out specialtymetals.com
They are in Connecticut and refine platinum mining concentrates.