So close, but so far.

[pepperj]

Post in thread 'Carbide and silver contacts' https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/carbide-and-silver-contacts.649950/post-7361152
This post pretty well explains what the product is.
So to process these contacts in an efficient manner is a head scratcher.

Now that there is approximately 35 kg of these contacts.
Each weigh 15 grams
Each having about 2.868 grams of silver.

The current spot price of silver makes this a priority for processing.

Question has anyone used electrolysis to remove silver plating, or thicker silver as this?
I know someone that makes colloidal silver using silver rounds.

The issue is that there's about 2200 pieces and doing one piece at a ⏲️ ⏳️. The math on that process seems too long.

Given that the video of removing silver plate off a spoon took 10 minutes.

I'm totally open to suggestions on how to process these contacts.

 

[pepperj]

Update to these contacts.
I put one to the bench grinder, took the silver off, and ground it down into the core.

Brought it to get tested at the scrap broker.
Here are the results.

Ag=Silver
W=Tungsten
Ni= Nickel
Fe=Ferrous
Now I'm closer in to getting these processed at a PM smelter.
I called them yesterday and they said they can process it.

 

[Blak bart]

Update to these contacts.
I put one to the bench grinder, took the silver off, and ground it down into the core.

Brought it to get tested at the scrap broker.
Here are the results.
View attachment 2224518View attachment 2224519
Ag=Silver
W=Tungsten
Ni= Nickel
Fe=Ferrous
Now I'm closer in to getting these processed at a PM smelter.
I called them yesterday and they said they can process it.

I wonder if ive thrown something like this away before....I found a huge one like this once....I might have it in the old scrap heap....ill be looking for it now !

 

[pepperj]

It seems the the refinery in Toronto has a bit of a problem with their accounting office. (caught big time and have a judgement in the tune of $180 million in unpaid taxes)
SO I won't be dealing wit them and with the huge backlog of refining for any silver I have decided to take the .999 silver off the contacts using a propane fired furnace.

This will come in handy for my set up for extracting silver and gold off plated items. (final button and bar form)

 

[pepperj]

The first thing is to melt the .999 silver off the Tungsten.
The second step is to cut/break the Tungsten up to manageable sizes for the nitric acid to penetrate through the piece.
This was the problem I was facing.
2000 pieces, cutting or breaking each one into many small pieces.
Bolt cutters would work, sledgehammer and these brittle pieces would be flying everywhere.
So I bought a jaw crusher. I can process them down to 2mm.

 

[pepperj]

Well another update on the equipment and the contacts.

Little back story on the delivery yesterday.
"Hello Mr Jim, I cannot drive the drive the truck up the hill"
I'm sure you can-everybody else does.

I ended up going with the Honda into the hamlet to get my machine.
220lbs in a crate into the Honda then unload it at the garage.
He was helpful at least.

So this little Lab Pulverizer seems to work ok to process the contacts down into smaller pieces.
I took 2.5 pounds and ran them through twice.
The silver on the contacts made them sticky and the unit started bog down.
I was going to open up the jaws, and there was a spark out of the kill switch.
My electrician will be over tomorrow to figure it out.

But up to that point I'm really happy with the results of the crushing.

 

[pepperj]

Well the electrician came over finally got to pay him for the scrap pick up nearly 2 months ago. $930.00.
Had the emergency stop fixed in 5 minutes.
It seems the China likes cheaper switches. The one side of the contacts armed, and stuck.
So he said to use the motor starter instead.
I'll bug the supplier for a replacement.

I asked what I owed him.
This one is on the house.
So back in business again.

 

[pepperj]

Did my first button pour this afternoon.
8.3 % recovery of .999 silver.
My 1st attempt was only 6.1%
So the running total is now 700 grams.
It's really exciting to pour liquid silver into a mold.
I'll crush these contacts up now for the nitric acid stage later.

 

[Blak bart]

Alright....have an imagination for a second and see if you see the same pareidolia i see !! I think you just made your first "pepperas maximus" coin !!🤣.....I see a roman type face in your silver round !!😲

🤣🤣

 

[creskol]

Alright....have an imagination for a second and see if you see the same pareidolia i see !! I think you just made your first "pepperas maximus" coin !!🤣.....I see a roman type face in your silver round !!😲

🤣🤣

I see the likeness of a brain

 

[UnderMiner]

I see the likeness of a brain

Looks like one of those highly stylized imperial Chinese lion guard statues outside the Forbidden City.

 

[pepperj]

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

I always cast into a form with my mark.

 

[pepperj]

I always cast into a form with my mark.

I've only done 3 pours now, still lots to learn.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

I've only done 3 pours now, still lots to learn.

Pick a kool and unique mark

 

[tamrock]

I'm impressed 👏 Don't toss that leftover tungsten carbide, as it has a scrap valve also.

 

[BennyV]

Damn. Looks like you got a great thing going. Thanks for sharing.

 

[pepperj]

I'm impressed 👏 Don't toss that leftover tungsten carbide, as it has a scrap valve also.

This is where the fun part comes in.

I had the inside of the contact XRF and it's 61.22% silver, 33.67 Tungsten, 4.54 Nickel,
0.47 Iron.
This is why I have to crush them, then soak them in Nitric acid.
What is left will be the Tungsten matrix which then I will recycle.
The next set up probably won't happen until I get properly set up to handle acids.

 

[tamrock]

This is where the fun part comes in.View attachment 2249080View attachment 2249081
I had the inside of the contact XRF and it's 61.22% silver, 33.67 Tungsten, 4.54 Nickel,
0.47 Iron.
This is why I have to crush them, then soak them in Nitric acid.
What is left will be the Tungsten matrix which then I will recycle.
The next set up probably won't happen until I get properly set up to handle acids.

I'm not sure about those being a contacts, but instead a carbide insert for machining. I'm thinking the silver was applied to further braze them to a rotating shank of sorts. The small rockdrill bits I used to sell used a silver alloy shim that would be fused in an induction coil to bond the carbide inserts to the bit body. We had a problem once were the carbide inserts began falling out prematurely. The solution was a higher grade of silver brazing would bond better to the bit body after they began using a more environmentally friendly solvent to clean the steel bodies before brazing the insert were put in. The higher silver alloy bonded much better using the friendly solvent. It was still cheaper to use the enviro solvent which was not classified hazardous waste which the other solvent cost more to get rid of by environmental standards. Those donut style carbide insert cutters could be rotatated in order to keep a fresh cutting edge. I'm thinking they may have been used in a bore head tool similar to this.

 

[pepperj]

I'm not sure about those being a contacts, but instead a carbide insert for machining. I'm thinking the silver was applied to further braze them to a rotating shank of sorts. The small rockdrill bits I used to sell used a silver alloy shim that would be fused in an induction coil to bond the carbide inserts to the bit body. We had a problem once were the carbide inserts began falling out prematurely. The solution was a higher grade of silver brazing would bond better to the bit body after they began using a more environmentally friendly solvent to clean the steel bodies before brazing the insert were put in. The higher silver alloy bonded much better using the friendly solvent. It was still cheaper to use the enviro solvent which was not classified hazardous waste which the other solvent cost more to get rid of by environmental standards. Those donut style carbide insert cutters could be rotatated in order to keep a fresh cutting edge. I'm thinking they may have been used in a bore head tool similar to this.

I contacted a company that made these and being 25 yrs old he didn't have the specifications on the contacts. They were for electrical contacts.
But they didn't recycle them though. Then another company that could but I had to provide my corporate number.
That would have been a hassle also.
I might get a qrt of nitric expressed to me to do a small batch to see what the recovery will be.