Smelting Gold Rich Sulfides: Experimenting with Fluxes and Collecting Precious Metals

💎Smelting gold-rich sulfides requires the use of fluxes to absorb impurities and separate the precious metals.

⚒️Iron pyrite, or sulfide mat, poses challenges in the smelting process due to its resistance to flux absorption.

🔥Fluxes like borax, silica, and soda ash are used to create acidic or basic environments to optimize absorption and reduce impurities.

🌪️The presence of sulfide mat complicates the recovery of precious metals, as they get trapped and reduce the yield.

🥈Using bismuth as a collector metal can help concentrate and recover small amounts of precious metals during the smelting process.

What are sulfides, and why are they challenging to smelt?

—Sulfides refer to minerals like iron pyrite that contain sulfur. They are challenging to smelt because they resist flux absorption and can trap precious metals.

What are fluxes, and how do they help in the smelting process?

—Fluxes are substances used in smelting to create specific environments that optimize the absorption of impurities and separate precious metals from other materials.

Why is iron pyrite difficult to remove during smelting?

—Iron pyrite, also known as sulfide mat, is hard to remove during smelting because it resists flux absorption and can trap precious metals, reducing the overall yield.

What is the role of bismuth in the smelting process?

—Bismuth acts as a collector metal during smelting. It melts and forms a separate layer to absorb small particles of precious metals that may be suspended in the smelted material.

Can all sulfide mat be eliminated using bismuth and other methods?

—While bismuth and other methods can help reduce the presence of sulfide mat, complete elimination may be challenging. Further experimentation and refining techniques are necessary.

00:00Jason introduces the experiment of smelting gold-rich sulfides using various fluxes.

00:19He discusses the challenges posed by iron pyrite and the reason for conducting the experiment.

01:32Jason prepares the batch by mixing fluxes such as borax, silica, and soda ash.

04:39The smelting process begins using a fire clay crucible and a propane-powered furnace.

09:27After cooling down, Jason examines the smelted material, which contains both slag and sulfide mat.

09:48He separates the mat from the slag, revealing approximately a third of the material as sulfides.

12:17Jason attempts to collect precious metals using bismuth as a collector metal.

13:09He concludes by discussing the challenges presented by the presence of sulfide mat and the recovery of gold.