Lead bar found

[henrynjoy]

Hi
Quite a few years back I found a lead bar in the ground on a concreting job I was preparing. I was told that the room was where they stored the gold in the early days. I have kept the bar that looks like lead as a door stop. Just wondering how I can melt it gown and see if it contains any gold. I have been told to try acid.

Regards H

 

[Ded Driver]

lead melts at 327c
get a heavy steel container (sized to suit) & put it on a roaring fire.
be very careful not to allow any water droplets, including sweat, to drip into the molten metal. It will erupt violently. Ive had it happen :awful:
as for separating the metal(s), that will need some research
have a read of this to start ... Im not sure what flux is required
https://patents.google.com/patent/US890160A/en

 

[henrynjoy]

Had it in the hydrochloric acid for over an hour now. Not doing much

 

[Ded Driver]

Have you weighed it & done a Specific Gravity test to confirm if it is predominantly lead?
fairly simple test. just google the procedure

 

[RockRat]

Drill a hole in it and assay the drill shavings.

 

[grubstake]

Had it in the hydrochloric acid for over an hour now. Not doing much

Not going to do much, either.

Why is lead metal insoluble in hydrochloric acid?:
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-lead-metal-insoluble-in-hydrochloric-acid

 

[Goldtarget]

SG test was best suggestion but my first thought would have been to cut it in half.

 

[Greenhornet_au]

Just scratch the silver paint off of it, you should see the gold inside.....

layful: O

 

[Bush Chook]

Be very careful not to overheat anything containing lead. You want a temp that is just enough to melt the lead - no more. Lead poisoning becomes a real possibility thereafter.

Always a watch-out for people who choose to cast their own bullets for muzzle-loaders.

 

[Ded Driver]

Just scratch the silver paint off of it, you should see the gold inside.....
layful: O

:100: :goldnugget: :money: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Ded Driver]

Be very careful not to overheat anything containing lead. You want a temp that is just enough to melt the lead - no more. Lead poisoning becomes a real possibility thereafter.
Always a watch-out for people who choose to cast their own bullets for muzzle-loaders.

yep, dead (DED :skull: ) right.
Ive done a lot of bullet making in the past (and aluminium alloy casting). I still have a couple of large ingots of pure Tin, sheets of pure Lead, & a fair amount of the old battery lead that has 10% Antimony. I used to formulate my own alloys for the bullets for rifles ... for example, different alloy for pigs vs fox
Rule 1. ALWAYS smelt metals (especially Lead) in a well ventilated or open area.

 

[goldtrapper]

Be very careful not to overheat anything containing lead. You want a temp that is just enough to melt the lead - no more. Lead poisoning becomes a real possibility thereafter.
Always a watch-out for people who choose to cast their own bullets for muzzle-loaders.

yep, dead (DED :skull: ) right.
Ive done a lot of bullet making in the past (and aluminium alloy casting). I still have a couple of large ingots of pure Tin, sheets of pure Lead, & a fair amount of the old battery lead that has 10% Antimony. I used to formulate my own alloys for the bullets for rifles ... for example, different alloy for pigs vs fox
Rule 1. ALWAYS smelt metals (especially Lead) in a well ventilated or open area.

And drink milk before and during. Just like the workers in the lead factories used to do.

 

[henrynjoy]

Thanks all for your help. Will try something else. I did drill a hole in it when i found it. Just looks like lead inside. Will keep you all in touch.
Cheers

 

[henrynjoy]

Trying gravity test.
Bar mesures .135mm x .55mm x .37mm = .0002747
That would be 275 qubic millimeters im guessing
Lead weighs 11.342 grams per qubic centimeter
Thats as far as my eq goes lol

 

[Mackka]

Why would you think that it is anything but lead?
Mackka

 

[Ded Driver]

yeah Makka I reckon everyone knows its gotta be lead, but its always fun & good practise doing the assay. :Y:
most likely a piece of lead electrode

 

[thedigger]

Shave off about a gram,and drop it in nitric acid,then if there is gold,it will appear as a brown color dirt.

 

[Greenhornet_au]

Thanks all for your help. Will try something else. I did drill a hole in it when i found it. Just looks like lead inside. Will keep you all in touch.
Cheers

OH ! BUGGER !!

:/