⭐ Gold Detecting Show'n Tell

Prospecting Australia

Help Support Prospecting Australia:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Don't do it Old N.O 7 This from Wikipedia

Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in water. It is a precursor to almost all fluorine compounds, including pharmaceuticals such as fluoxetine (Prozac), diverse materials such as PTFE (Teflon), and elemental fluorine itself. It is a colourless solution that is highly corrosive, capable of dissolving many materials, especially oxides. Its ability to dissolve glass has been known since the 17th century, even before Carl Wilhelm Scheele prepared it in large quantities in 1771.[2] Because of its high reactivity toward glass and moderate reactivity toward many metals, hydrofluoric acid is usually stored in plastic containers (although PTFE is slightly permeable to it).[3]

Hydrogen fluoride gas is an acute poison that may immediately and permanently damage lungs and the corneas of the eyes. Aqueous hydrofluoric acid is a contact-poison with the potential for deep, initially painless burns and ensuing tissue death. By interfering with body calcium metabolism, the concentrated acid may also cause systemic toxicity and eventual cardiac arrest and fatality, after contact with as little as 160 cm2 (25 square inches) of skin.

I don't normal like to cut and paste stuff, but this acid is very very nasty.
 
Hi all.

I use hydrochloric acid for cleaning my gold if required. For ironstone I chip off as much as I can using a strong pointy nail as the ironstone breaks away reasonably easily. I then drop it in an old film canister and cover it with acid. After 24 hours I remove it and try scraping it away. You can leave it in longer for larger pieces of rock but a few days should take care of most rock. I usually remove the gold from the canister using my fingers which can sting a little bit, wash the gold under the outside tap then take it all inside and wash again with soap and water. Be careful not to drop those smaller pieces down the plug hole.

Regards Axtyr.
 
There are many people safely using hydrochloric acid (brickies acid) & products such as Alibrite that contain a small percentage of hydrofluoric acid to clean their gold without issue (as well as other acid cleaners). Just follow the safety directions etc. & you'll be fine. People use these products all the time for a variety of tasks.
I don't recommend fishing the gold out of any acid solution with ya fingers though :eek: :lol: I tip mine into some water then add bicarbonate soda & allow to soak for awhile before giving it another good rinse off in water.
P.s if you plan on smelting or making your own bar/button from it still be aware of fumes. Refiners will want to know if you've had it in acid or other solutions too.
 
1466838347_received_1547056815601325-1.jpg

Found me 2 more bits today. 1gram, on the nose.
 
Patrick mate. More and more an Ozzie every day! Soon you'll be able to instruct your crazy ex-countryman Jeff Williams on how it's really done ;) You're starting to love that 2000? Hope old Jim's also doing well.
 

Latest posts

Top