Small Amount of Gold with Mercury? What to do?

[Joel1316]

I've got about 2 grams of Mercury covered gold.
Is there a a safe way to remove the Mercury so I can put all my gold together?
I don't get very much gold, so this 2 grams in another vial puts a ding in my overall totals...

 

[Oakview2]

,

 

[B H Prospector]

Great info Oakview2.

 

[Oakview2]

With us getting so much scruitiny, it would be best if we could recycle as much recovered mercury as possible. It will make up for the potential problems with the new energy efficient bulbs the left has shoved down everyones throats.

 

[Fullpan]

Since you are not quitting prospecting, right? I would think of the 2 grams as a deep savings account, and wait til a retort like the above is justified.

 

[Hoser John]

Fire it off as you have less mercury there than the dozens of state mandated squiggly light bulbs have in EACH one in your house now. Cut a my coke can and put in fire or douse with lighter fluid or whatever NO BFD-John

 

[Joel1316]

Since you are not quitting prospecting, right? I would think of the 2 grams as a deep savings account, and wait til a retort like the above is justified.

No, not quitting. But I'd like to show off what little gold I do have : )

The little gold I have doesn't cover the cost of a retort. Lighter fluid sounds good ; )

 

[ckd315]

Coleman camp stove in a wide open back yard, put the offending material in your smallest thickest skillet, WALK AWAY, and heat until golden, usually no more than a few minutes or so, depending on quantity...

Like John said, no BFD...

 

[Joel1316]

Will the gold melt and cling to the skillet?

 

[Fullpan]

Will the gold melt and cling to the skillet?

No - No BFD

 

[lastleg]

I heard of a much safer way years ago. You get a cattle syringe from farm/ranch supply, put M
in with wet cotton at the exit point, squeeze M thru cotton which will keep the M inside the tube
and the au will exit thru cotton into a glass jar.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I heard of a much safer way years ago. You get a cattle syringe from farm/ranch supply, put M
in with wet cotton at the exit point, squeeze M thru cotton which will keep the M inside the tube
and the au will exit thru cotton into a glass jar.

Or more likely the other way around. As thus:
" If you have Mercury that has other metals amalgamated in it and is sort of thick with what appears to be "clots" floating around on it you can filter these amalgam clots by several methods. The first and easiest is to purchase a syringe (10 ml or larger) from the drug store. Make a ball of absorbent cotton and push it into the bottom of the syringe. Push in the plunger to pack it as tightly as possible. Pour in your Mercury and force it slowly through the cotton with the syringe plunger. The residue on the cotton will contain most of the amalgams including Gold. Probably the best way to recover the amalgamated metals including gold is to simply take the cotton ball from the syringe and burn it with a propane torch or other. Be sure you are outside or in a well ventilated space."

 

[ckd315]

Probably would if you heated it long enough...

Reminds me of the gold thieves in Michener's "Alaska"... What a hoot!

 

[rebel003]

it may be no big deal but just remember to stay upwind from the fire and anything you use is now contaminated with mercury. if you use a camp stove then do not cook on it again the same goes for the pan. i have a small stainless steel frying pan I use to cook the black sands and that's all it is used for. stay safe and a couple of grams of gold is not worth ruining your health or anyone else.

 

[Doitlaynstyle]