Simple Gold Refining in the Small Studio

Simple Instructions for Reclaiming and Refining Gold in the Small Studio
With gold casting grain topping $1627.00 USD in August 2011 it is now perhaps more prudent to learn to reprocess one's scrap rather than paying the refinery all the charges incurred from submitting it for jobbing.Most important is to be conscientious in the collection of scrap at the bench, from equipment and the collective amount over a given period ( say, quarterly or twice a year) that is lost literally down the drain.Cleaning up after grinding, polishing, and cutting are standard habits a novice should cultivate as the return is staggering compared to simply allowing particulate matter and more tangible pieces to collect until there is a visible residue on or near surfaces, the floor and in less obvious places- like the welds on your shoes and those of your colleagues and employees in the shop.Use a bench skin when sitting at the bench.Install foam type flooring sections around areas that require sitting or standing to complete an operation.A mat that holds large adhesive sheets will pay for the initial outlay and a couple of years worth of refills following the first reclaimation of large materials*. Wipe down all grinding and other fabrication equipment and areas with a damp paper towe that can then be tossed in a plastic lined bin (note: don't ever combine oily rags nor any sort of towelling containing solvents into a non metal closed container for reasons of spontaneous combustability. You may buy safety cans for those materials or just use a small galvanised bin with a fairly tight fitting lid specifically dedicated to clean-up materials that have been wetted with anything other than water).also remeber to reapply an oil or wax to your tools,rolling mill , and any thing else that is left in open air or has been in contact with dampness and humidity to prevent rust from forming and ruining the item- bit of preentative maintenance is well worth the extra time it takes -even when you are beyond ready to end your jewelry making session and studio.
Mark some seamless containers with the colour and karat of the golds you purchase and one for bench sweeps , and polihings that will have dust from each grade of raw material you used but is not sortable. If a piece is large enough to definitively sort, check it with a testing stone and acid before you combine it into an established lot- that small bit of,14karat yellow gold from vendor "a" has the potential to wreck an entire melt and pour yielding at least inconsistent results.s