Amalgamating

ikesdad · Jan 16, 2015

How do you guys amalgalmate ? I know the process quite well, but thought that I would ask how others do it.

goldenIrishman · Jan 16, 2015

Asking for specifics on something like this can be like asking Col. Sanders what those 11 secret herbs and spices are. Each miner that uses this process has his own little secrets about just how he does it. All I'll say is that it's not a process for those that do not know what they're doing. It requires specific equipment to be done in a safe manner and most people do not have access to that gear.

ikesdad · Jan 16, 2015

There really is no secret recipe to it. I was referring to what is used for doing the mixing. The retorting is where the real health issues are of a concern.

chlsbrns · Jan 16, 2015

We create a vortex in a cone bottom tank filled with water and enough hydrogen peroxide to clean sulfide coatings and keep the mercury from sickening. If there is any sign of oil we pre soak the sands in lye.

KevinInColorado · Jan 19, 2015

I'm much smaller scale so just in a gold pan, covered with water. What I collect from the environment gets turned in for proper reprocessing via a friend who works in a lab professionally.

ikesdad · Jan 19, 2015

I have used a brass vibrator and small rock tumbler, just wondering what others used.

Goldwasher · Jan 19, 2015

chlsbrns said:
We create a vortex in a cone bottom tank filled with water and enough hydrogen peroxide to clean sulfide coatings and keep the mercury from sickening. If there is any sign of oil we pre soak the sands in lye.

We don't have any mercury on our claim so we haven't had to deal with it. When we were dredging some days we had 1/2 to 1 once globs at the end of the day we just used a retort. We never cleaned the "sickened" mercury we just kept it in a jar in the garage. My old partner has it still. I have a friend with a hard rock mine. He is getting good specimins. He has a lot of micro gold that he is having a hard time with. I think he would be very interested in your set up do you have any pictures or the source of the cone bottom tank you are using. And could you describe the process a little more like what steps you?

chlsbrns · Jan 19, 2015

Goldwasher said:
We don't have any mercury on our claim so we haven't had to deal with it. When we were dredging some days we had 1/2 to 1 once globs at the end of the day we just used a retort. We never cleaned the "sickened" mercury we just kept it in a jar in the garage. My old partner has it still. I have a friend with a hard rock mine. He is getting good specimins. He has a lot of micro gold that he is having a hard time with. I think he would be very interested in your set up do you have any pictures or the source of the cone bottom tank you are using. And could you describe the process a little more like what steps you?

I am on my phone. I will pm you when I'm home on my computer

goldenIrishman · Jan 19, 2015

ikesdad said:
There really is no secret recipe to it. I was referring to what is used for doing the mixing. The retorting is where the real health issues are of a concern.

We've been through these discussions many times on here in the past. It's not like I'm trying to protect some secret method or anything.

As an ex-labtech, I try to hold back from posting information that could cause someone illness or injury. Any time you are dealing with chemicals there is the potential for something to go wrong. Accidents happen after all. And if the information is out there, you know someone that isn't ready to do so is still going to try.

As to your comment about retorting, with proper equipment I feel it's actually one of the safer steps. When people cut corners on equipment or try to save money is when I get worried. A proper retort doesn't cost much and is a lot safer than many of the homemade ones I've seen through the years.

Reed Lukens · Jan 20, 2015

ikesdad said:
How do you guys amalgalmate ? I know the process quite well, but thought that I would ask how others do it.

After just having our first major win against the dredge ban and all of the mercury bs going on, I have to say that this is really the wrong question to be asking at this time. And I mean it just sticks out like a sore thumb. Do a search, this has been covered hundreds of times in the past, most of us do not use mercury anymore because it is a set up question. Look at what happened to Dave Mac when he showed how to deal with mercury on a video... The feds came in and out went the good life.

Here's a link put together by an old friend, he's dead now but his page has been saved for all to learn from when it comes to mining and chemicals. This page has been up for over 10 years...
Basement Chemistry for the Prospector

goldenIrishman · Jan 20, 2015

I really love that page Reed. I've had it bookmarked since i I found it a couple of years ago now and would have loved the chance to pick his brain from time to time. He had a way of explaining things that anyone could understand and always stressed safety.

Reed Lukens · Jan 20, 2015

goldenIrishman said:
I really love that page Reed. I've had it bookmarked since i I found it a couple of years ago now and would have loved the chance to pick his brain from time to time. He had a way of explaining things that anyone could understand and always stressed safety.

Yea Ken was good people and did his best for all of us when the time came. Then there he was, moving into a new place and fell down the stairs... Ken Williams is missed :angel7:

Goldwasher · Jan 21, 2015

Sorry Reed but I call Bull Pucky!!!!! We are not held accountable by any law in regard of the use of mercury for amalgamating small batches of gold. Firstly I only deal with it as a by product of placer mining. I do not buy it or use it on purpose for recovery I was just curious as to how other people were using it. Buying it and having it shipped to Ca. is perfectly legal. And there is no law against using it to recover gold. It is not unlawful. The Federal and state regs don't even mention it. It is a shame ( I want to see a link) that the epa would go after Mckracken for showing people the right way to deal with it. I also think it is a horrible notion that we are not "supposed " to have informed discussion on a forum such as this one here. So, we can spread that knowledge and inform and even self regulate each other. The whole "hey guys don't talk about it" thing just doesn't make sense. Especially when you post a link that talks about it

??It doesn't make sense. There are numerous subjects here that get brought up over and over and the fact that it is mercury we wanted to discuss is no qualifier to not discuss the subject. For that matter the whole moratorium was not about mercury as you know therefore neither was the win....we weren't in court fighting mercury. Certain people didn't want to talk about the moratorium or other ways of working here either. That discussion had no affect on the outcome except in an extremely POSITIVE way. You have a much better chance of being heard when you stand up and discuss out in the open rather then trying to keep everything hush hush. And keeping quiet about something that is legal....because of a win against an illegal act just doesn't make sense to me. This is in no way an attack against you Reed I've watched all your videos's know you know your stuff and have been through a whole lot in the mining community. I just don't want fear to cause paranoia and won't forget that this is the U.S.A and believe we have the right to discuss pretty much what we want. The only thing that should stop us here is if a Mod steps in and says to cut it out. If there is a spy network from the darkside here so what....not talking about important matters with your peers because of fear and intimidation is ICKY!!!! Triple Distilled Mercury Metal (quicksilver) half pound for sale. Buy from The Science Company. Mercury regulation in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia If your a light bulb Miner you are screwed if you are a small scale gold miner carry on.....But, please only if you know for sure what the heck you are doing.

Bonaro · Jan 23, 2015

Goldwasher - I actually agree with you but I also totally understand what Reed is saying. HG is a hot topic and this forum is surfed regularly by those who are only trolling for any tidbit of conversation that can be taken out of context and used against us. I have seen several peoples comments on poster boards at various government meetings, used as example of our carelessness, lawlessness or whatever. Mercury has been vilified in the media like lead paint, mold and asbestos. It's easy to fear something when you don't understand it. I agree that we should not live in silence out of fear of our words being used against us. This would essentially be a surrender of our 1st amendment rights....but...Reed is correct that all this info and more is available by doing a simple search.
So where is the middle ground? Do we rehash this subject in full color detail every time because, damnit it's our right? or do we redirect questions to already archived answers and not feed the beast?

Goldwasher · Jan 24, 2015

What about the part where I'm an American and can say what I want?

KevinInColorado · Jan 24, 2015

You can so say it. Like any action you should consider the consequences before acting...

2cmorau · Jan 24, 2015

$120 half pound, holy moly, and the Sierra Fund will charge the tax payer $7000 an ounce, The Sierra Fund are currupt, lie to the public, it is our duty to inform the the mass to the truth

Goldwasher · Jan 24, 2015

KevinInColorado said:
You can so say it. Like any action you should consider the consequences before acting...

Exactly just talking about something doesn't actually make the sky fall any faster!!!!!!

Bonaro · Jan 24, 2015

Goldwasher said:
What about the part where I'm an American and can say what I want?

Yes Goldwasher, you are an American and so am I. We enjoy the RIGHT of Freedom of speech which is the first right of every American...however...

Having the RIGHT to say whatever you want does NOT relieve you of the CONSEQUENCE of saying it!

russau · Jan 25, 2015

Bonaro said:
Yes Goldwasher, you are an American and so am I. We enjoy the RIGHT of Freedom of speech which is the first right of every American...however...

Having the RIGHT to say whatever you want does NOT relieve you of the CONSEQUENCE of saying it!

Dans right! just look at what happened in Ferguson , Misery when that officer shot that gang member/ thief ! look what happened all over the States because of it!!! and from what ive read , over and over and over....................Id of had todo the samething officer Wilson did for self defense. Mike Brown was/is a very big guy!