Removing silver flake from steel wool

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The discussion centers on the practical challenge of separating silver from a mixture of wet steel wool and silver flakes found in old recovery buckets used in radiography. The primary method suggested involves using hydrochloric acid, which dissolves the iron while leaving the silver intact. Safety precautions are emphasized, including the use of gloves and goggles, and performing the procedure outdoors for proper ventilation. It is noted that filtering the solution after acid treatment should effectively isolate the silver. Additionally, neutralizing the acid with sodium carbonate or bicarbonate is recommended. Other methods mentioned include melting the silver, given its lower melting point compared to steel, and using mercury to create an amalgam, although this latter method is considered more complex. The conversation highlights the importance of assessing the financial viability of the silver recovery process before proceeding.
Ikimasen
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I have a practical question. I work in the radiography department of an industrial contractor and we've found some old recovery buckets used to recover the silver from old film fixer. Essentially you have a bucket of steel wool that the fixer (with silver precipitate) passes through, which traps the silver flakes in the fixer. Now I have what you might call a "bucket of crud" that is a mix of wet steel wool with silver flakes in it which, so far, no one wants to buy. How can I separate the silver from the steel wool without losing any silver so it can then be sold? (who cares about the steel wool.)
 
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Dissolve the iron in hydrochloric acid. Concentrated is sometimes sold under the name of muriatic acid. Be careful - it is a nasty, corrosive stuff. Gloves and glasses are minimum, and you better add it outside, as it requires a good ventilation. Once diluted it is not that scary.
 
Work out your costs first.Is there enough silver to make this financially worthwhile?
 
Good point - but muriatic acid is quite cheap.
 
So the hydrochloric acid will destroy the iron but leave the silver behind, with nothing left to do but strain it out of the acid? It should be cost effective, though I could buy silver concentration test strips to make absolutely certain, but really there should be a pretty good amount of silver in there.
 
Ikimasen said:
So the hydrochloric acid will destroy the iron but leave the silver behind, with nothing left to do but strain it out of the acid?

Yes, filtering should do the trick. I would start neutralizing the solution, at least partially. For example with sodium carbonate or bicarbonate.
 
If the silver flakes are enough, in absolute sense and compared to the steel wool, another possibility is melting: silver melts at ~ 962°C while steel or iron oxides melts at much higher temperature.

If one has a lot of mercury and have a fume hood, it could also remove silver making an amalgam with Hg and then remove this by boiling. Quite complicated, however.
 
Is this 'find the most complicated way of silver separation' contest?
 
Borek said:
Is this 'find the most complicated way of silver separation' contest?
The first answerers are in advantage. The last have to say more complicated things :smile:
 

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