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Introduction dissolve in aqua regia but will remain However, for lower caratage alloys,
The small-medium scale refiner in solution when the gold is inquartation and parting becomes a
(typically up to 3-4 kg per batch) tends precipitated and can be recovered most attractive alternative process and
to adopt the Aqua Regia process as separately. this paper sets out the principles of the
being a relatively straightforward The refining process is illustrated technique and then outlines an
technique, capable of producing gold schematically in Figure 1. equipment that has recently become
with a purity in excess of 99.9%. The technique does have some available, together with results of a
The essential steps in the process are disadvantages in that small, but refining trial using 9 carat gold scrap.
to dissolve the refinable material (such significant, losses of gold are likely to
as jewellery process scrap) in aqua occur in the dissolution and filtering Inquartation and Parting
regia, a mixture of strong nitric and stages and in the handling of the The technique mirrors part of the Fire
hydrochloric acids, and to selectively powder product. Furthermore, the Assay process used in the analysis
precipitate the gold from the resulting equipment, of necessity, is made in glass (assay) of gold.
solution. Gold and most other metals so as to withstand the aqua regia. There Inquartation involves initially
will dissolve in aqua regia; silver, are also environmental considerations diluting the gold in the refinable
however, will form a silver chloride which need to be addressed because of material to about 25% (literally
precipitate. Because of this reaction of the emission of gases (nitrogen oxide, ‘quartering’ the gold) by melting with
silver, it is necessary to restrict the hydrogen chloride and sulphur dioxide) the appropriate addition of copper or
amount of silver in the start material to and solutions are produced which can silver, granulating the melt so as to
be refined to a maximum of 10%; any contain nitrates, nitrites, chlorides, generate a high surface area and then
more than this will run the risk of the sulphides and sulphates and which treating with nitric acid. The acid will
silver chloride preventing complete have to be disposed of. Nevertheless, dissolve the silver and base metals,
dissolution of the gold by masking it for the manufacturers/refiners who are leaving behind the gold. The acid
off. It is necessary, therefore, to blend dealing largely with high carat gold treatment is known as parting as it
batches of high silver content material alloys (18 carat and above), then this ‘parts’ (separates) the gold from the
with those of low or no silver content process is probably the most economic silver and base metals. Dilution of the
prior to dissolution or to treat with and several equipments are available gold content is necessary to ensure that
nitric acid initially to remove silver if, commercially which can treat several kg the nitric acid can readily attack and
for example, individual batches cannot per day. dissolve the base metals and silver,
be blended together.
To aid dissolution in aqua regia, it is
usual to melt and granulate the material Gold + Silver + Base Metals + Palladium
first (essential when lots are blended), Granulate, ensuring silver is
to provide as large a surface area as <10%, heat in aqua regia and filter
possible, and to heat the acid to speed
up the dissolution process. Silver
chloride is removed by filtration. The
solution is then treated with a reducing Solution of Gold + Base Metals
Precipitate of Silver Chloride
+ Palladium
agent to precipitate pure gold. Of the Treatment to
reducing agents available, ferrous Treat with a reducing
recover silver
agent and filter
sulphate, sulphur dioxide and sodium
Silver
bisulphite are most widely used. In this
way, high purity gold powder is Solution of Base Metals +
Pure Gold Powder
produced which needs Palladium
to be filtered, washed and dried Wash, dry and Treatment to recover
and then is usually melted and granulate palladium
granulated, ready for subsequent use.
If any palladium is present in the Pure Gold Grain Palladium
original material, as might be the case
for white gold scrap, palladium will Figure 1 - Outline of the Aqua Regia refining process
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