need tips on smelting ore

[Sadistic Serpent]

Hello
S.S here looking for a recipe for smelting galena silver ore.

I have about 25 Lbs of crush ore and need a way of turning it into bars.

I have made a furnace for smelting out of fire bricks & have some chapmans flux. Do i need to mix copper or zinc to get the impurities out
or none of the two?

I had a mentor for six months but he pasted from cancer and he had a note book with all his recipes on it but it was buried with him.

I am a hard worker and a fast learner.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you
S.S.

 

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[chlsbrns]

Chapmans silver flux?

What kind of crucible are you planning on using?

 

[Sadistic Serpent]

I have an old school cast ironthats about 1/4inch thick plus six quartz and graphite crucibles

 

[chlsbrns]

Is the chapman flux specifially for silver? Most chapman flux that is for sale wont work with silver.

You would probably be better off roasting the p out of it and then use nitric acid. The smell of roasting or smelting ore is horrible! Its also hazardous. Do it far away from people.

 

[Sadistic Serpent]

It is for both gold and silver.
if you have a recipe for flux that works i'm willing to try it.

 

[Sadistic Serpent]

Is there any other way then nitric acid i don't like the stuff?

 

[chlsbrns]

You got it on ebay? Chapman gold and silver flux wont work. It will slag the silver. In other words the silver will be in the glass that forms when it cools.

Silver flux is
2 parts borax
1 part soda ash
1 part silica sand
1/2 part lime-fluorspar mixed

While smelting in the furnace you should add 1 part sodium nitrate

It would be easier and cheaper to crush it into powder, roast it until the terrible odor is gone and then use acid. (I dont want to post about the acid until I check my notes). The acid will disolve the silver into solution. Pour the liquid thru a filter. Put a piece of copper pipe to make the silver drop. Filter to capture the silver. (It looks like mud) let it dry into a powder and then put it in your furnace and pour the bar.

 

[Sadistic Serpent]

Yes that's what it is. So the flux i have now is just for my gold then? thank you very much for your time and recipe.

 

[chlsbrns]

Without seeing the ingredients I can't be sure if its only for gold. Is the flux black or very dark? If so it contains manganese dioxide and is for gold only. Look at the ebay listing. They usually say that it slags silver.

Im not exactly sure how much flux you will need for 25lbs of ore but it will be at least (I think) 25lbs.

Nitric acid disolves silver into solution. Nitric is expensive. You can use poor mans aqua regia. Poor Man's AR = 8 oz Sodium Nitrate, 480 ml water, 960 ml Muriatic Acid plus heat. Glass containers only! Do it outside! Do not let anyone, pets ect to go downwind of it.

Sodium nitrate is fertilizer. Muriatic acid is hydrochloric acid. Both can be bought at practially any hardware store.

 

[Sadistic Serpent]

Thank you again

 

[flashover1969]

You can use the Parks Process- google it there are a few videos out there that are pretty good. Make sure you're in a well ventilated area and don't breath the fumes when you roast the sulfur out of the galena.
After you have your lead silver metal you can get the silver out using the Parks process (refining using zinc and your lead silver) or get some bone ash cupels and let the cupel absorb the lead. You will be left with silver and hopefully a few other precious metals.

Chapman Flux Recipe:
40% Borax
20% Soda Ash
20% Maganese Dioxide
20% Silica

Flux for silver ore:
3 parts soda ash
1 part wheat flour
4 parts silica
2 parts borax
1 part un-iodized table salt