jewelerdave
Hero Member
- Aug 29, 2007
- 848
- 96
- Detector(s) used
-
I just follow my nose!...where the silver and gold goes!
Minelab 5000, Goldmaster, and a few others
XRF spectrometer, Common sense.
- Primary Interest:
- Prospecting
The Above method by goldsilverpro works very well and is one we have started using.
Much easier than the salt to silver chloride method. less energy, time and flux intensive.
The purity of .99 is fine when being re alloyed into jewelry.
Likewise the silver is useful for the gold refining via inquartation if your doing gold.
My advice however if you get into a lot of silver or sterling silver there is not much need to bring it to .999 fine as .925 silver is a commodity in and of its self. There are plenty of people on Ebay and in other markets that will pay spot value or very close for known alloy for there horde.
Most people dont trust small unmarked bars or home made bars as the alloy could be "anything" as its not professionally stamped.
Unless you have a use for it or market for your .999 silver there is not really a need to bring it up too that purity.
The only exceptions are people who are hobby refiners pulling bits from unconventional sources such as electronics, however most people who can afford the equipment to do so and with the work that is put into the recovery of a home operation is not economical in most cases, more for amusement, than to sell the silver. For anyone who spends hours breaking down hundreds of computers to maybe recover half an ounce or ounce of silver most likely will not part with it for $15, the bragging rights are worth more and the factor of the "look what I got"
But even then if you notice quite a few people just sell electronics scrap on ebay and people (because they dont know the low yields) get more than they could refining it by selling it to unknowing buyers and hopeful refiners who have no clue. The mentality of, "Golly gee, each piece must have a dollar, or two worth of gold on it." sets in. Just because it looks like a lot does not mean it is a lot.
likewise people on ebay are willing to pay more for potential than actual.
Perfect example is a bar of gold that may be only 70 to 80%pure but....it could be higher because its mixed!! will always out sell .999 fine gold because the potential for a deal is there. They will pay 10% to 25% more in hopes they may get more for the content, where as they will pay maybe spot or just under or over for known .999
Its sick but I see it happen all the time.
I guess PT Barnum was right.
Much easier than the salt to silver chloride method. less energy, time and flux intensive.
The purity of .99 is fine when being re alloyed into jewelry.
Likewise the silver is useful for the gold refining via inquartation if your doing gold.
My advice however if you get into a lot of silver or sterling silver there is not much need to bring it to .999 fine as .925 silver is a commodity in and of its self. There are plenty of people on Ebay and in other markets that will pay spot value or very close for known alloy for there horde.
Most people dont trust small unmarked bars or home made bars as the alloy could be "anything" as its not professionally stamped.
Unless you have a use for it or market for your .999 silver there is not really a need to bring it up too that purity.
The only exceptions are people who are hobby refiners pulling bits from unconventional sources such as electronics, however most people who can afford the equipment to do so and with the work that is put into the recovery of a home operation is not economical in most cases, more for amusement, than to sell the silver. For anyone who spends hours breaking down hundreds of computers to maybe recover half an ounce or ounce of silver most likely will not part with it for $15, the bragging rights are worth more and the factor of the "look what I got"
But even then if you notice quite a few people just sell electronics scrap on ebay and people (because they dont know the low yields) get more than they could refining it by selling it to unknowing buyers and hopeful refiners who have no clue. The mentality of, "Golly gee, each piece must have a dollar, or two worth of gold on it." sets in. Just because it looks like a lot does not mean it is a lot.
likewise people on ebay are willing to pay more for potential than actual.
Perfect example is a bar of gold that may be only 70 to 80%pure but....it could be higher because its mixed!! will always out sell .999 fine gold because the potential for a deal is there. They will pay 10% to 25% more in hopes they may get more for the content, where as they will pay maybe spot or just under or over for known .999
Its sick but I see it happen all the time.
I guess PT Barnum was right.
