Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Torch Fire Assaying Technique

Charles Butler Butler Lab has developed a test procedure to be used as a supplement to the oven titration minerals of noble metals. It is fast and inexpensive, most tests require 15 to 20 minutes.

It is an excellent tool perspective and field guide for drilling teams. It can also be used to test samples Mill Run and tails, leach solutions, chemical precipitates and any noble metal salts, including silver, gold and metals group platinum. It is ideal for the dry or wet assay concentrates its recovery system and the flow of water being used in said system. This water, when working with the holders of the minerals soluble in water, taking on board some of its values, unless measures are taken to save them.

The infinite number of possible settings torch flame to create reducing or oxidizing flames when they are needed. Consequently, only two streams are necessary and we rarely have a failure. When difficulties arise, we become aware of it in a minute or two, which allows the tester a chance to make the necessary adjustments of the torch, or the addition of either stream type.

1. When the dosage for the "noble metals" to free our metal values, you must create a liquid fusion "load testing." We do this by combining our sample milled with the appropriate dosage and flow even in a place crucible. then our adjusted oxyacetylene torch oxygen acetylene good value, we create the "reducing flame" necessary to liquefy the assay. intense heat of the flame applied directly down on the dosage, creates temperatures above 2000 degrees centigrade, which makes it possible to recover all the noble metals, if present.

2. It takes a "collector" to collect and store all the gold liquid, money or platinum group values ​​the sample tested may have contained. We accomplish this with our ingredients flow "litharge" powder of lead oxide. When you correctly, the warmth of our gear changes torch flame that lead litharge liquefied. This lead alloys, or combined with molten metals, except osmium noble, a group of platinum. During the dosage specifically for platinum metals, most testers add a silver medal "Inquart", either as a sheet or a yarn to act as their collector, that money alloy with all the platinum group metals. In addition, the extreme effects of PGM have on silver beads "," made to facilitate the recognition that the platinum metals are present.

3. The merger process must produce an advance of 1/8-5/32 inch diameter "button." This advance will start to appear as real shiny beads in 30 to 40 seconds after the application of the torch flame reducing the load test if everything works as expected. Failure of tiny lead balls, says "trouble." A few difficult ores require the addition of a second test measurement flow. When the merger is complete (all gas) and all the lead is deposited at the bottom of the crucible is empty "dairy", leaving the key lead in the crucible of "slagging"

4. This step is the main scorifying the button to remove the base metals "(" metals other than the noble metals) that have been picked up by the molten lead. This is achieved by adding a pinch of borax glass, then the application of strongly oxidizing flame torch. The main button to ignite, burn at over 3000 degrees centigrade. This intense heat changes the base metals "slag" or ash, which connects the molten glass as borax slag for disposal. The lead button a little smaller, containing all the values ​​that were present noble metals are poured on to an aluminum plate for cooling.

5. The next step is to "cup" button to dispose of the head. Our cups are small cups of bone ash. Porosity adsorbs liquid litharge, created by the oxidation of the lead button with the torch flame oxidant. Cupelling is completed, when the button, increasingly small, forms a ridge, by refusing to reduce the size further. After the torch is removed, most pearls will "Blick", or flash, just as they begin to cool, the moment they change from a liquid to a solid. These beads are called "golden pearls" because they can contain all or part of the precious metals, silver, gold, platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium, rhodium and ruthenium. The tester must determine that additional testing.

All measurements and calculations are based on the volumetric principle, instead of by weight. That, since the scales sufficiently accurate for this work would be very expensive and inappropriate for use outside. A teaspoon accurately calibrated is used to measure the test material. Spoon five times larger is used for measurement of the flow. Noble metals are recovered in the form of a small round bead, its diameter is measured with a power 40X optical comparator, instead of weighing to determine the value of ore produced them. Through measurement and use our "solution fades," most of the minerals can be evaluated. However, some pearls need to be "split" with nitric acid and distilled water to remove the silver medal, while rebeaded before their ore can be evaluated. fading procedure lets us know when the separation is necessary. Indeed, separation is rarely necessary, because at least 90% of the tests can be evaluated through the use of natural observation and the "Procedure pearl fade." It easily identifies all the beads containing 75% or more, money and lets you know the approximate silver content ranging from 75% to 100%. The results are expressed in troy ounces "" silver or gold and platinum group metals per ton of materials that are analyzed.

The following facts, by comparing the assay procedure torch with conventional fire assay furnace, will also indicate the ways in which this technique has advanced the art for the prospector and miner.

1. There is no oven heat mass, only a small test weighing a few grams of pot and two ounces.

2. "Load merge" in the conventional test, just sits there, inside the crucible, without the benefit of any significant mechanical agitation to ensure that the molten lead comes in contact with the melt together during fusion. In our method, the crucible is manually shaken around in a circular motion, and in addition, the flame is used to stir the melt, ensuring complete alloy of lead and precious metals contained within.

3. The process eliminates the Elimination of All beads cups, cleaning and weighing. It is a daunting task at best.

4. The whole process is carried out under the visual observation, from beginning to end. This allows immediate adjustment, if necessary, to correct problems caused by certain minerals annoying.

5. The lightweight, mobile devices can be taken to a field site if necessary.

6. With the test procedure of the flame can develop, demonstrate and promote its gold, silver or platinum property.

7. Probably the most important is the fact that we receive a reply in minutes instead of hours, days, or even weeks.

J-Tech (Jensen Technologies, LLC) has developed a capacity to full scale fire test. Please inquire for availability.

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