You left this comment almost a year ago, but I wanted to say thank you for leaving it. I will never do anything like this, but I find it really interesting. That unknown black crud was driving me up the wall and I needed to know what it was.
Absolutely incredible how quickly the crystal starts to grow. I am going directly over to watch you do the same thing with gold. Going to be great video I'm sure! Thank you for your time doing these great videos. Always a good time! I love learning and this channel is the perfect place to do just that!
@@TheMayflowerPilgrem I bought threw a guy moved to Thailand (Im in Sweden) And i have them make a ring with a starsapphire. Made according to the design i wanted. And dirt cheap! So looking abroad as you suggested to a jeweler is a very good option if youre prepared to make some research/connections. At home works too, but way more expensive.
Such a great, thoughrow video. My wife was ohh, and awwing at your jewelry lot. Mrs Sreetips has a great eye! This video was like a "refinement video" on your old silver cell videos. Great work man.
The law for coins is quite specifically spelled out in the Currency Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-52) Section 11 (1): “No person shall, except in accordance with a licence granted by the Minister, melt down, break up or use otherwise than as currency any coin that is current and legal tender in Canada.” This Act also spells out the penalties for doing so. As if that was not enough, the Criminal Code of Canada (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46) also has a relevant section: “456. Every one who (a) defaces a current coin, or (b) utters a current coin that has been defaced, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction. Sreetips, I love what you do and your videos are top notch but destroying a Canadian coin for the sake of a couple grams of silver was contrary to what another video you made in which you wisely chose not to destroy coins you bought at a yard sale. I little piece of me died inside when I witnessed you dissolve a beautiful $50 coin which is legal tender where I live. Alas, there is nothing that can be done to undo this so if I may make a gentle suggestion that if in future you decide to melt down more Canadian, American or other coins of intrinsic value, don’t film it.
I think you can get proper heat transfer if you put sand in the Corningware around and under the beaker. It was a go to for a lot the reactions I did in O Chem labs.
It's always fascinating seeing the processes you go threw to refine these metals. Is it possible to crystallize gold the same way as you crystalize silver in the silver cell? Your videos always peek my curiosity since they are dangerous but beautiful reactions. Makes me want to try my hand had refining and experimentation!
@@ut000bs I know he only wants the silver but its also bad advice to people who dont know. Sreetips is wrong, these are worth a lot more than silver, especially certain years, older ones etc. You can test items with different methods that will not damage said items. My point is sreetips thinks he knows everything, very arrogant because hes wrong same with the silver cell which is very stupid
I got my silver crystal from you earlier in the week. Regardless of what anyone else is commenting, I will take that beautiful crystal over that big silly looking coin any day. Thank you for the packaging and the autograph!
if I had the silver Id trade you for 50% more for the coin. If you deal precious metal and don't even know about the Canadian Mint, that's just pathetic
Section 456 Every one who (a) defaces a current coin, or (b) utters a current coin that has been defaced, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction. - Criminal code of Canada.
Great video, Senior Chief. I was thinking about the black trash that showed up from the coin and had an idea pop up when I saw you start the nitric additions to the silver crystal after the coin additions. The crystal started reacting and producing nitrogen dioxide fumes almost immediately, whereas the coin took a little bit to get going. I'm thinking there may have been a thin layer of protective coating such as plastic on the coin to prevent environmental tarnish, which then became the black trash when exposed to the nitric acid... that would also explain why it took a bit longer to start reacting with the acid versus the crystal. Might be able to avoid the contamination by soaking it in acetone for an hour or so and wiping it off to remove any protective layer. Thanks for the quality content... I've started picking up a bit of sterling here and there, but I'll be darned if the Puget Sound region seems to not have much available on the used market.
You’ve got to go hunting. It won’t fall in your lap, even though it feels like it does when someone goes in their house and comes back out with a hand full of scrap gold and puts it in your hand
@@sreetips thank you for the encouragement. I'll keep hitting up local yard and estate sales in hopes of scoring big. I really enjoy watching the home chemistry, as it takes me back to labs getting my chem degree (which is my passion along with firearms collecting, thus the username).
Good sir, I know you're always careful but please remove the top of the dripper only after plugging on the tube next time. ;) Always a pleasure watching you at work. Stay safe and all the best.
I also use cement silver for my electrolyte. It has a slight blue tint to it from copper contaminants but that helps grow chunky crystals I've found. I pour my sterling into anode bars directly, too. If your goal is volume, that setup works just fine. After each crystal harvest I'll precipitate out the silver, clean it, then redisolve it, instead of using crystal. This allows me to recycle the electrolyte while turning around and selling the (poured) crystal. I am comfortable with only 1 run, though, with with cement as electrolyte. I know you are able to get more runs out of your electrolyte so there is certainly an advantage there with your method.
I used cement silver to make electrolyte for my first batch ever. The problem with using cement silver for electrolyte is palladium. Since it is soluble in just nitric (the only one of the six PGMs that is) it can build up in the cell electrolyte and start plating out with the pure silver crystal. This could cause it to contaminate your pure silver crystal. Bad enough, contamination of your silver, but worse is that palladium is 100 times more valuable than silver. A fraction of a gram of palladium is worth more than the ounce of silver that carries it. You can have as much as 10% palladium contaminating your silver before it becomes noticeable
You’ll recognize palladium in your electrolyte because it will turn green (copper is blue plus palladium is yellow = blue plus yellow makes green). I have a video that shows green silver cell electrolyte and I use DMG to remove the palladium.
Just noticed one thing that might have been an issue if unlucky: You rinsed the lids into the filter setup for the silver nitrate. While I understand it's habit to do this to transfer everything across chemically (practiced chemists do this without even thinking), it would be a problem if some of the nitric spattered onto the lid from the boiling nitric solution. You went through a lot of trouble to make sure all the nitric was consumed but by rinsing the lid into the final solution you might inadvertently reintroduce some nitric again if it's on the lid.
Could it'd be polished on the coin or sealer that's a manufacturer could have put on it or just from people handling it to oils from their skin is that possible
What your videos did to me!?, I’m addicted watching them all day 😵💫 Is it because of what it’s called “fever gold”? or the charismatic way of your optimal explanation method, maybe both… “Thank you”
Great point. I was wondering what could have been inside the metal but it may have been on the outside. I didn't see him incinerate the coin before dissolving it
In the future, a quick three-second dip in E-Z-Est coin/silver cleaner would make silver jewelry pieces like those pop. Could probably get a decent amount more for them on eBay after cleaning.
I think the purple stone is charoite, and the red stone with the yellow streak in it is mookaite. The stone you are referring to as hematite is marcasite.
Sr. Chief, question about the construction of your fume hood…I noticed the roof being canted forward from the rear to the front (operator opening). Wouldn’t this design bring the fumes in proximity to the operator?
Thanks for showing this, I've been curious about your electrolyte and how the silver cell works. Curious how long the electrolyte lasts before it needs to be replaced? Do you keep it topped off with distilled water? Thanks for all of your videos, I've become a Sreetips junkie in my spare time.
It depends on copper concentration. Never use it more than twice. The silver in the electrolyte gets depleted as the cell operates. To compensate, I dissolve some more silver and top it off.
I've got to say, that as a bit of a coin collector myself, I was aghast with what you just done. However, I do understand the different perspective. The black stuff in the solution was probably some lacquer to keep the coin from tarnishing.
Kevin is like the best teacher I've ever had... .. I would have studied chemistry if I knew we could do this stuff... How do ya get started now? Just go to home.depot and get some Stump Out ? I wish I could send my stockpile to someone to be refined. 25/75.
A couple of additional suggestions for your Silver Cell. You might consider some Automotive type weather packed connectors in your next harness assembly. The Alligator Clips, you might also line them with a little Dielectric Grease, AKA: Automotive Light-Bulb Grease with will conduct electricity, but will help control the corrosion factor on your connections. Next on your Stainless Bowl, you might also solder some connector tabs to the bowl, then use a weather packed slide connector or bullet type connector. The contact should be better than the alligator clip(s), and instead of constantly connecting and disconnecting at the bowl. For the Anode end, the alligator clip will have to be used. Just a thought...
Beautiful coin!! I think people got upset because it was so beautiful and the fact that those 10 oz Maple Leafs are hard to come by they probably wouldn't have cared if it was 10 Single ounce Maple Leafs because they're a lot more plentiful but Awesome video I really enjoy your precious metal videos keep it up brother
the part that always gets to me is the effort put into making the commemorative coin and to make it look the way it is. Why If I reach a point I am actually making money and can get things like silver and gold. I will get simple bars. Simply cause I would get to attached to commemorative fancy looking decorated coins and such and if I was gonna melt. I would much prefer a lump or rectangle. As I don't think I could watch something with so much detail melt.
@@kdm1234gmail yeah I know what u meen I have a bunch of Silver Eagles and I could never picture myself melting them and if I needed some money I think I would sell my silver bars first because like you said I'm kind of attached to the Eagles
Question on the action taking place in the Cell: How do you know the silver crystals that are forming are not coming out of the Electrolyte solution that has 600 g of silver in it to start with? i.e., how much of the silver harvested comes from the shot vs electrolyte?
Just so i understand mechanics here! You desolve the pure silver for electrolyte, pass low voltage and amp current through cell fill filter basket with impure shot to refine, but does the pure silver you you desolve for electrolyte also replate out as a double refined silver also?
Hi I sent sum gold plated and gold filled jewelry into a refine place through this shop guy and he only gave sum gold back from it , no silver or other materials.. is that suppose to happen? I thought I was gonna get gold and silver not just gold from it.
gold plated and filled jewelry typically doesn't have much silver as it isn't usually plated over a silver core usually some other base metal. karat scrap is typically gold mixed with silver so there is a little more silver in that but still at best a few grams depending on how much you refine.
You should get some custom coin molds made with your face(or your ship) on them and make Sreetips coins. Appropriate for TH-cam royalty such as yourself :)
I try to get two uses from one batch of electrolyte - the silver depletes out of the electrolyte as the cell operates - it gets plated out along with the dissolved silver from the anode basket
@@sreetips didn't know this. Guess this would accelerate the copper percentage in the electrolyte. feels like an accurate test for Ag and Cu concentration is a must for running an efficient cell with minimal maintenance
@@thereverendcoyote Yeah, I guess with care and a little math you could weigh the metal going in and the metal plating out after a set time with a set starting concentration of electrolyte and figure out the approx Cu concentration and replenish with water and AgNO3 until the Cu gets to the upper limit. When I finally start my cell I will do this...
If the specific gravity of AgNO3 is 1.02 g/ml, then work the number backwards so to speak. 1 divided by 1.02 for a value of 0.98 Then use 0.98 as the multiplier for your pure silver. 311.7 x 0.98 for 305.5 ml nitric. I'm no chemist, but this seems more like the right value for pure silver.
Sreetips do you recover any of the silver that is used to make the electrolyte? I also agree with you on the value of coins. The jewelry piece with writing on it says "dissolve me".
@@sreetips I was wondering if the 500 grams you use to make the electrolyte, if you recover it while/when you are running the silver cement in the silver cell and is that why you need to make more electrolyte is all the silver in the electrolyte has been reclaimed.
@@kirahund6711 after I asked that of him I realized what he was saying. The electrolyte is just silver nitrate at that point the other acid was depelted and it is a constant cycle of recovery. I would think the copper would be seperated in the soaking in copper process when the silver cement is created and the silver nitrate had changed to copper nitrate. The sludge in the basket would be more platinum metals that cemented out with the silver. I really don't know though. It would have to be a passionate hobby to turn a profit. He sells the good pieces and probably turns a fair profit on them as well. Plus with the jewelry he refines the gemstones are taken out. Throughout history precise metals and gemstones have been worth something. If this hobby was applied for a few decades with the way inflation and markets go, it would be well worth the time. Just for the simple fact it's basically reinvesting your money. The high in 1991 was $4.50 per ounce. There's ways to lower energy cost. Energy is typically being used when your at the house anyways. Does that hotplate use that much more energy than a TV or a computer.
When I saw 1.22ml i was like oh no way too much. I normally use 1ml or slightly less at .90 ml of nitric per gram of silver crystal when I’m making my electrolyte. When you cover the beaker it keeps more of the nitric in the solution instead of out gassing it. great video as usual!
@@captron7814 pretty much what I do I usually use 300 g of electrolyte for my 2L cell. I start with 300 ml of water and 200 ml of nitric and add from there. I almost always end up at less then 1ml/g. A little trick I use is cover my beaker with a watch glass then put a paper towel in the spout. It keeps a slight positive pressure in the beaker and doesn’t let the nitric release the nitrogen dioxide so easily. Its actually interesting to see no fumes then lift the watch glass and see a bunch of fume production. This trick cut my nitric usage by at least 20%.
@@gsracer nice. I'm in the process of setting up a silver cell. I've been accumulating as much silver as I can get under spot to refine because I think its about to skyrocket in price. Now I need more gold so I can refine all this flatware
@@gsracer I have my electrolyte made from silver shot and it's a little lighter blue color then Windex. I figured I'll be able to get enough crystal to make clearer electrolyte. I have everything together including filters, I just need to set it all up now. I even have around 500g of shot to start with.
@@captron7814 try cement silver that made from silvel chloride. If you wash the cloride properly before you convert to oxide than silver metal , you most likely get 999 pure silver. Don't forget to melt the cement silver before you dissolve it for electrolite.This is how i started my silver cell first time and work like a charm.
Can I purchase the electrolyte? I could run a silver cell without the need for the toxic acids and ventahood. I just need the electrolyte. Is silver nitrate on Amazon the same thing?
I agree with you most of these large coins were investment gimmicks at best and there too big to be a practical post apocalyptic exchange token, Ag is antimicrobial which is why Ag ion exchanges are used in hospitals and why the colloidal form has a following amongst the natural paths.
@@Avalanche2 No that actually is a coin. It has a dollar value and it legal tender in Canada. This is the one www.govmint.com/2018-canada-50-dollar-10-oz-silver-magnificent-maple-leaves-bu
@@Avalanche2 American eagles have a $1 face value and are now going for $40 a pop. It has more to do with the fact they are backed by a government. Any mint can make an unlimited amount of buffalo generic rounds without a care in the world or the slightest idea how many generic buffalos exist. Something like this coin are only collectable because there is a finite amount of these minted. Some years they mint a handful of millions, other years like early to mid 2000s they do only 500,000 made. And with people treating them like generics and melting them for more generics solely because "silver is silver" who knows how many are left the way they were made. Always check the mintage with your coins, they could be worth more of a premium in your pocket for how few are accountable let alone available. Key Dates are a really valuable thing to have in any stack. But you shouldn't melt your maples when you can just melt your herd of buffalos.
Hey sreetips, I’m not sure if the ultrasonic cleans off tarnish but if you take a bowl and line it with tinfoil, making sure the shiny side is facing up, then put some baking soda in it along with your silver and then add boiling water or hot water to it, it will take tarnish right off, amount of baking soda depending on how much silver. You might know this already though!
Great video and excellent way to discuss "value". This is something I have been trying to get people to understand for a long time and most just don't get it. They tend to assume that the price put on an object is it's value. A friend was trying to sell their car and they kept saying it is worth XXXX amount but they were not getting any offers near their asking price. I told them that the highest offers they were getting were what the actual value was as it is the BUYER who sets the value whereas the seller sets the price. Something is ONLY worth what someone else is willing to pay for it irrespective as to what you actually to get for it.
not true! cause if you're not willing to accept your "highest" offer on your car, you have set its value higher. its worth what your willing to part with it at.
That number may have been for sterling/925 silver, not pure silver. Copper is alloyed with silver to make sterling/925. Copper takes more nitric to dissolve it than silver does.
@@sreetips can we use copper nitrate solution as an electrolyte and use graphite electrodes to extract copper? I have a plenty of copper nitrate solution going as waste. If not, can you tell me how else can I get copper from copper nitrate solution.
Got a question, you ever come across computer components that has gold foil and gold powder in them when in hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide 3%???
@@sreetips ok, I put 100pcs R2P LOT Dual DIE CPU LGA775 Intel Xeon C2Q Processor in AP the foil started coming off with a metallic powder I think is copper. I didn’t expect copper to dissolve like that in AP but it resembles gold when in power form so it’s still in AP I’ll play with it more when it’s all finished.
I have a couple of silver ingots I made from scrap sterling silver. I suspect the copper may be high in 1 of them as it doesn't seem to shine completely silver & has a slight coppery sheen. how can I refine it to 999 without nitric acid as I live in UK & you can't get nitric acid here (or the home chemicals from your other video). is there any way of refining it with what's available in England? If I melt & repeat with borax would that remove the copper?
Melting and borax will not separate the copper from the silver - it will cause them to alloy. You could try using a silver cell on the sterling silver. But with copper that high the electrolyte would become saturated with copper quickly. Silver nitrate crystals dissolved in distilled water can be used for the electrolyte.
Thanks for your reply. if I was to use silver nitrate crystals to make a silver cell would the copper affect the solution to the point where I'm experiencing high losses anyway? wish I could just get nitric acid. it would make the process so much easier.
@@iananderson4572 Ian, I use cement silver melted into granules to feed into the anode filter basket. It’s about 99% pure with copper as the main contaminant (also traces of gold and platinum group metals). Feeding sterling/925 silver (it’s about 90% silver and 10%) into the cell will work, but the electrolyte will quickly become fouled by the high copper content. After about 60g per liter copper concentration, the copper can start to plate out with the pure silver thus contaminating the pure silver crystal.
I have a few ounces of silver crystal for sale on my eBay site. The ask is a hundred bucks. But other than that, I’m not wanting to sell any of my silver. Selling silver, with the spot price so grossly undervalued, would be foolish. I feel like I’m getting cheated selling it for a hundred bucks per ounce on my eBay site.
Rounds and coins are both nice as long as someone wants to buy them. You can put a value on something but it won't buy you a sandwich if you can't sell it. Coins are usually easier to sell, though. Coins are legal tender for a country and have a face value for those who may not know much about it while rounds, which are not legal tender, are considered bullion. I assume that is legal tender and not just a nice round? What did the reverse look like? Was it a Maple Leaf?
that silver coin is worth way more than his amateur smelting job. Because it's from the Royal Canadian Mint anyone dealing in precious metals know it's the highest quality globally
Not sure, I started in my garage and just accumulated the stuff over the years. I had a Chem lab in grade school in my basement. This is kind of an extension of that.
Viewers - "you ruined that coin", Sreetips - "watch this".
Turns out they got butt hurt over a crap filled paperweight. Bahahahaha
Exactly! 🤣
He should have t-bagged the electrolyte to make the trolling complete.
😂
If the coin was 2018 or later the black stuff was probably what the mint calls “Mintshield”. It’s coating applied to keep the coin’s surface pristine.
I expect heating the coin to red heat might have burnt off the coating.
@@roberthayward9299 i know he typically incinerates, but this time he didnt show it and the coin looks awfully unoxidized
You left this comment almost a year ago, but I wanted to say thank you for leaving it. I will never do anything like this, but I find it really interesting. That unknown black crud was driving me up the wall and I needed to know what it was.
Canadian Mint doesn't mess around. If they it's 99.9999% pure silver. It is.
Most silver is .999 fine not .9999, so it could just be a small amount of impurities. But that does seem like a lot for even three 9.
If it's > or = to 2018, that black stuff would likely be the mintshield coating to prevent milkspots and tarnish.
Absolutely incredible how quickly the crystal starts to grow. I am going directly over to watch you do the same thing with gold. Going to be great video I'm sure! Thank you for your time doing these great videos. Always a good time! I love learning and this channel is the perfect place to do just that!
Anyone else interested to see Sreetips pull some pure copper out of solution? Doesn't need to be a lot, just some to see the process.
Pity we can't buy the jewelry individually... that green-stoned ring made in India caught my eye instantly
Find a jeweler. Like me. Jewelrs in shops will charge like mechanics do.
@@TheMayflowerPilgrem I bought threw a guy moved to Thailand (Im in Sweden) And i have them make a ring with a starsapphire. Made according to the design i wanted. And dirt cheap!
So looking abroad as you suggested to a jeweler is a very good option if youre prepared to make some research/connections.
At home works too, but way more expensive.
Such a great, thoughrow video. My wife was ohh, and awwing at your jewelry lot. Mrs Sreetips has a great eye! This video was like a "refinement video" on your old silver cell videos. Great work man.
I think the Canadian mint puts a lacquer on their coins to keep them from getting milk spotted/blackened
It could be some carbon stuff, true.
The law for coins is quite specifically spelled out in the Currency Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-52) Section 11 (1):
“No person shall, except in accordance with a licence granted by the Minister, melt down, break up or use otherwise than as currency any coin that is current and legal tender in Canada.”
This Act also spells out the penalties for doing so. As if that was not enough, the Criminal Code of Canada (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46) also has a relevant section:
“456. Every one who
(a) defaces a current coin, or
(b) utters a current coin that has been defaced,
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
Sreetips, I love what you do and your videos are top notch but destroying a Canadian coin for the sake of a couple grams of silver was contrary to what another video you made in which you wisely chose not to destroy coins you bought at a yard sale. I little piece of me died inside when I witnessed you dissolve a beautiful $50 coin which is legal tender where I live.
Alas, there is nothing that can be done to undo this so if I may make a gentle suggestion that if in future you decide to melt down more Canadian, American or other coins of intrinsic value, don’t film it.
@@TheRealGKV its a metal coin, or it was. Quit crying.
@Jay Wilson thanks for the troll.
@@TheRealGKV you're very welcome. Have a nice day.
Wow more power to you . A braver man man than I. Cheers
Love your content! Brilliant work 👏
His operation has moved into the house ? Thank you Mrs. Streetips.
You are a special woman to have retrieved all those jewel's.
Always been in the garage and stuff done has been trickled into the house
I think you can get proper heat transfer if you put sand in the Corningware around and under the beaker. It was a go to for a lot the reactions I did in O Chem labs.
I need to make myself one of these I really like this setup Thanks man Great video
Thank you for finally explaining the discolored silver crystals
They are some awesome silver crystals very pretty and unique keep up the good work
Thank you I love to learn when I watch you what do you do with the spent electrolyte just wondering thank you for another great video
I add copper and cement the silver out
Thanks for sharing your experience 😊
It's always fascinating seeing the processes you go threw to refine these metals. Is it possible to crystallize gold the same way as you crystalize silver in the silver cell?
Your videos always peek my curiosity since they are dangerous but beautiful reactions. Makes me want to try my hand had refining and experimentation!
I electrolytic refine some gold in this video:,th-cam.com/video/zDfujDqEPMo/w-d-xo.html
Fantastic video once again mate, I always love watching to see what your next project is. Keep up the great work!
I love it! Make the other ones more valuable!
ones again you make great videos ;)
love them
You are the best to do this. You and baker mining and the other guy that's similar to you are the best
Coin Collector: "Here Sreetips, this is my beautiful baby".. Sreetips: "Gorgeous! where's my Nitric?" : )
Ha Yep !! 😱
Sreetips thinks he knows everything. Very arrogant its a silver coin, it cant be worth anymore than the price of silver, WRONG.
@@chosen1one930 it didn't matter to him. All sreetips wanted out of it was the silver. That needs no justification.
@@ut000bs I know he only wants the silver but its also bad advice to people who dont know. Sreetips is wrong, these are worth a lot more than silver, especially certain years, older ones etc. You can test items with different methods that will not damage said items. My point is sreetips thinks he knows everything, very arrogant because hes wrong same with the silver cell which is very stupid
$100 Bills are just Paper. (not really) It only holds value because the government places value on it. So, Where's My Lighter!
I got my silver crystal from you earlier in the week.
Regardless of what anyone else is commenting, I will take that beautiful crystal over that big silly looking coin any day.
Thank you for the packaging and the autograph!
Excellent, thank you
if I had the silver Id trade you for 50% more for the coin. If you deal precious metal and don't even know about the Canadian Mint, that's just pathetic
Um. Barely legible but...ok
Thank you for saying that. Silver is just that. Love your content.
Section 456 Every one who (a) defaces a current coin, or (b) utters a current coin that has been defaced, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction. - Criminal code of Canada.
I am amazed in what your doing its so interesting thanks for sharing ❤️❤️🇦🇺
Great video, Senior Chief.
I was thinking about the black trash that showed up from the coin and had an idea pop up when I saw you start the nitric additions to the silver crystal after the coin additions.
The crystal started reacting and producing nitrogen dioxide fumes almost immediately, whereas the coin took a little bit to get going. I'm thinking there may have been a thin layer of protective coating such as plastic on the coin to prevent environmental tarnish, which then became the black trash when exposed to the nitric acid... that would also explain why it took a bit longer to start reacting with the acid versus the crystal.
Might be able to avoid the contamination by soaking it in acetone for an hour or so and wiping it off to remove any protective layer.
Thanks for the quality content... I've started picking up a bit of sterling here and there, but I'll be darned if the Puget Sound region seems to not have much available on the used market.
You’ve got to go hunting. It won’t fall in your lap, even though it feels like it does when someone goes in their house and comes back out with a hand full of scrap gold and puts it in your hand
@@sreetips thank you for the encouragement. I'll keep hitting up local yard and estate sales in hopes of scoring big.
I really enjoy watching the home chemistry, as it takes me back to labs getting my chem degree (which is my passion along with firearms collecting, thus the username).
Numismatists have left the chat.
Numismatists have never dealt with pawn brokers. Metal is metal.
Good sir, I know you're always careful but please remove the top of the dripper only after plugging on the tube next time. ;)
Always a pleasure watching you at work. Stay safe and all the best.
This blew my mind the first time I saw this but now I understand the return on this... 😂🎉
I also use cement silver for my electrolyte. It has a slight blue tint to it from copper contaminants but that helps grow chunky crystals I've found. I pour my sterling into anode bars directly, too. If your goal is volume, that setup works just fine. After each crystal harvest I'll precipitate out the silver, clean it, then redisolve it, instead of using crystal. This allows me to recycle the electrolyte while turning around and selling the (poured) crystal. I am comfortable with only 1 run, though, with with cement as electrolyte. I know you are able to get more runs out of your electrolyte so there is certainly an advantage there with your method.
I used cement silver to make electrolyte for my first batch ever. The problem with using cement silver for electrolyte is palladium. Since it is soluble in just nitric (the only one of the six PGMs that is) it can build up in the cell electrolyte and start plating out with the pure silver crystal. This could cause it to contaminate your pure silver crystal. Bad enough, contamination of your silver, but worse is that palladium is 100 times more valuable than silver. A fraction of a gram of palladium is worth more than the ounce of silver that carries it. You can have as much as 10% palladium contaminating your silver before it becomes noticeable
You’ll recognize palladium in your electrolyte because it will turn green (copper is blue plus palladium is yellow = blue plus yellow makes green). I have a video that shows green silver cell electrolyte and I use DMG to remove the palladium.
i have been looking for a solution to rapid growing crystals for months now this came out at the perfect time
Sreetip needs to up his holesaw game, LOLZ. Sheeesh Sree!
Just noticed one thing that might have been an issue if unlucky: You rinsed the lids into the filter setup for the silver nitrate. While I understand it's habit to do this to transfer everything across chemically (practiced chemists do this without even thinking), it would be a problem if some of the nitric spattered onto the lid from the boiling nitric solution. You went through a lot of trouble to make sure all the nitric was consumed but by rinsing the lid into the final solution you might inadvertently reintroduce some nitric again if it's on the lid.
Could it'd be polished on the coin or sealer that's a manufacturer could have put on it or just from people handling it to oils from their skin is that possible
New sub..is this something a lay person could attempt if willing to purchase the proper equipment?
Thanks! Love the content
Nice handling of the nitric there, the pre-placement of the lower section of the stand is much safer 😬👍
Nice vid👍🏻That is for sharing⛏🏴
What your videos did to me!?, I’m addicted watching them all day 😵💫 Is it because of what it’s called “fever gold”? or the charismatic way of your optimal explanation method, maybe both… “Thank you”
my guess for the junk in the coin solution is that its polish or wax or lacquer something they might have used to preserve the coins shine.
Great point. I was wondering what could have been inside the metal but it may have been on the outside.
I didn't see him incinerate the coin before dissolving it
In the future, a quick three-second dip in E-Z-Est coin/silver cleaner would make silver jewelry pieces like those pop. Could probably get a decent amount more for them on eBay after cleaning.
Great video nice lesson
TH-cam viewers - "bro you scratched it. now its ruined"
Sreetips - "hold my nitric"
I think the purple stone is charoite, and the red stone with the yellow streak in it is mookaite. The stone you are referring to as hematite is marcasite.
I just sold one of those coins. It took me forever to sell it. Nobody wanted it even at a reduced price.
You Méan you cant sell the coin?
I do want it haha it's a beautiful coin from her Majesty hah
Send me a message anytime you have pure silver you want to sell especially at a reduced price. I’m always a buyer.
Local coin shops always buy silver
@@johnsherry6021 sure. At about 30% value lol
Hello Mr sreetips. This was a great clip sir. Thank you😊. Arne
Great video thx for sharing 👍
Sr. Chief, question about the construction of your fume hood…I noticed the roof being canted forward from the rear to the front (operator opening). Wouldn’t this design bring the fumes in proximity to the operator?
No
that mite plat silver coin what was date on the coin ?
Thanks for showing this, I've been curious about your electrolyte and how the silver cell works. Curious how long the electrolyte lasts before it needs to be replaced? Do you keep it topped off with distilled water? Thanks for all of your videos, I've become a Sreetips junkie in my spare time.
It depends on copper concentration. Never use it more than twice. The silver in the electrolyte gets depleted as the cell operates. To compensate, I dissolve some more silver and top it off.
@@sreetips What do you do with the waste?
Waste treatment
@@sreetips The bucket with iron plates cementing everything out?
Yes
I've got to say, that as a bit of a coin collector myself, I was aghast with what you just done. However, I do understand the different perspective. The black stuff in the solution was probably some lacquer to keep the coin from tarnishing.
14:01 Never seen anything like the flower with pearl. Would love to watch a craftsman make this.
Kevin is like the best teacher I've ever had... .. I would have studied chemistry if I knew we could do this stuff... How do ya get started now? Just go to home.depot and get some Stump Out ? I wish I could send my stockpile to someone to be refined. 25/75.
I get a better ROI selling scrap sterling to a coin shop that I can get by refining it and selling the fine silver.
A couple of additional suggestions for your Silver Cell. You might consider some Automotive type weather packed connectors in your next harness assembly.
The Alligator Clips, you might also line them with a little Dielectric Grease, AKA: Automotive Light-Bulb Grease with will conduct electricity, but will help control the corrosion factor on your connections. Next on your Stainless Bowl, you might also solder some connector tabs to the bowl, then use a weather packed slide connector or bullet type connector. The contact should be better than the alligator clip(s), and instead of constantly connecting and disconnecting at the bowl. For the Anode end, the alligator clip will have to be used. Just a thought...
Shane, I tried a whole new design for the anode connection. I show a little of it in the video that is uploading right now.
I like that silver chain the one with the matching bracelet
Beautiful coin!! I think people got upset because it was so beautiful and the fact that those 10 oz Maple Leafs are hard to come by they probably wouldn't have cared if it was 10 Single ounce Maple Leafs because they're a lot more plentiful but Awesome video I really enjoy your precious metal videos keep it up brother
I bought it specifically to demonstrate that it can be used to make electrolyte for the silver cell.
the part that always gets to me is the effort put into making the commemorative coin and to make it look the way it is. Why If I reach a point I am actually making money and can get things like silver and gold. I will get simple bars. Simply cause I would get to attached to commemorative fancy looking decorated coins and such and if I was gonna melt. I would much prefer a lump or rectangle. As I don't think I could watch something with so much detail melt.
I prefer the silver crystal.
@@kdm1234gmail yeah I know what u meen I have a bunch of Silver Eagles and I could never picture myself melting them and if I needed some money I think I would sell my silver bars first because like you said I'm kind of attached to the Eagles
im glad someone see's where I am coming from. Usually I get yelled at.
Loved every second of it. Canada mint is first rate, not a good showing. Keep em coming Senior.
Question on the action taking place in the Cell: How do you know the silver crystals that are forming are not coming out of the Electrolyte solution that has 600 g of silver in it to start with? i.e., how much of the silver harvested comes from the shot vs electrolyte?
Most comes from the shot, some comes from the electrolyte.
is your impure silver shot made from old silver (flatware,bowls,plates, etc)?
Yes
Just so i understand mechanics here! You desolve the pure silver for electrolyte, pass low voltage and amp current through cell fill filter basket with impure shot to refine, but does the pure silver you you desolve for electrolyte also replate out as a double refined silver also?
Yes, The electrolyte gets depleted as the cell runs, some of it deposits on the cathode as the cell operates.
Hi I sent sum gold plated and gold filled jewelry into a refine place through this shop guy and he only gave sum gold back from it , no silver or other materials.. is that suppose to happen? I thought I was gonna get gold and silver not just gold from it.
gold plated and filled jewelry typically doesn't have much silver as it isn't usually plated over a silver core usually some other base metal. karat scrap is typically gold mixed with silver so there is a little more silver in that but still at best a few grams depending on how much you refine.
Damn. Watched several of your videos... Earned my sub in 1:49 on this one
Welcome!
@sreetips Where do you get all of that jewelry from?
My wife gets it at yard sales and the flea market
You should get some custom coin molds made with your face(or your ship) on them and make Sreetips coins. Appropriate for TH-cam royalty such as yourself :)
Was it Canadian coin? If so they have a mint shield on it so it will not milk spot. If this is any help I know this video is a year old.
That could be it. Thank you.
🥳 A new filter bag refinary video is on the agenda🤗
Question for you Chief. How often do you have switch out your electrolyte?
I try to get two uses from one batch of electrolyte - the silver depletes out of the electrolyte as the cell operates - it gets plated out along with the dissolved silver from the anode basket
@@sreetips didn't know this. Guess this would accelerate the copper percentage in the electrolyte. feels like an accurate test for Ag and Cu concentration is a must for running an efficient cell with minimal maintenance
@@thevalleyofdisappointment I know there is Cu going into solution. That is why the electrolyte goes from clear to blue.
@@thereverendcoyote Yeah, I guess with care and a little math you could weigh the metal going in and the metal plating out after a set time with a set starting concentration of electrolyte and figure out the approx Cu concentration and replenish with water and AgNO3 until the Cu gets to the upper limit.
When I finally start my cell I will do this...
If the specific gravity of AgNO3 is 1.02 g/ml, then work the number backwards so to speak. 1 divided by 1.02 for a value of 0.98 Then use 0.98 as the multiplier for your pure silver. 311.7 x 0.98 for 305.5 ml nitric. I'm no chemist, but this seems more like the right value for pure silver.
I think 1.22 was for sterling/925
The junk may be polishing compound or lacquer, I probably would have incinerated the coin or cleaned it beforehand
agreed
Sreetips do you recover any of the silver that is used to make the electrolyte? I also agree with you on the value of coins.
The jewelry piece with writing on it says "dissolve me".
Yes, I cement the silver on copper
@@sreetips I was wondering if the 500 grams you use to make the electrolyte, if you recover it while/when you are running the silver cement in the silver cell and is that why you need to make more electrolyte is all the silver in the electrolyte has been reclaimed.
@@kirahund6711 after I asked that of him I realized what he was saying. The electrolyte is just silver nitrate at that point the other acid was depelted and it is a constant cycle of recovery. I would think the copper would be seperated in the soaking in copper process when the silver cement is created and the silver nitrate had changed to copper nitrate. The sludge in the basket would be more platinum metals that cemented out with the silver. I really don't know though.
It would have to be a passionate hobby to turn a profit. He sells the good pieces and probably turns a fair profit on them as well. Plus with the jewelry he refines the gemstones are taken out. Throughout history precise metals and gemstones have been worth something. If this hobby was applied for a few decades with the way inflation and markets go, it would be well worth the time. Just for the simple fact it's basically reinvesting your money. The high in 1991 was $4.50 per ounce.
There's ways to lower energy cost. Energy is typically being used when your at the house anyways. Does that hotplate use that much more energy than a TV or a computer.
When I saw 1.22ml i was like oh no way too much. I normally use 1ml or slightly less at .90 ml of nitric per gram of silver crystal when I’m making my electrolyte. When you cover the beaker it keeps more of the nitric in the solution instead of out gassing it. great video as usual!
I usually estimate 1ml per gram to start but I only put in small amounts at a time
@@captron7814 pretty much what I do I usually use 300 g of electrolyte for my 2L cell. I start with 300 ml of water and 200 ml of nitric and add from there. I almost always end up at less then 1ml/g. A little trick I use is cover my beaker with a watch glass then put a paper towel in the spout. It keeps a slight positive pressure in the beaker and doesn’t let the nitric release the nitrogen dioxide so easily. Its actually interesting to see no fumes then lift the watch glass and see a bunch of fume production. This trick cut my nitric usage by at least 20%.
@@gsracer nice.
I'm in the process of setting up a silver cell.
I've been accumulating as much silver as I can get under spot to refine because I think its about to skyrocket in price.
Now I need more gold so I can refine all this flatware
@@gsracer I have my electrolyte made from silver shot and it's a little lighter blue color then Windex.
I figured I'll be able to get enough crystal to make clearer electrolyte.
I have everything together including filters, I just need to set it all up now.
I even have around 500g of shot to start with.
@@captron7814 try cement silver that made from silvel chloride. If you wash the cloride properly before you convert to oxide than silver metal , you most likely get 999 pure silver. Don't forget to melt the cement silver before you dissolve it for electrolite.This is how i started my silver cell first time and work like a charm.
Can I purchase the electrolyte? I could run a silver cell without the need for the toxic acids and ventahood. I just need the electrolyte. Is silver nitrate on Amazon the same thing?
Yes
Would the amount of ml of nitric needed for 925 sterling me the same ratio? Or 92.5%?
925 will be a little higher due to copper being present.
I'm assuming that the coin was Canadian based on the engraving of QEII. If that is the case, the coin was legal tender at its face value.
1.4K+👍's up sreetips thank you for sharing
Can you put silver cement directly in to the cell basket
No, I clogs the filter
I think you need to do another coin, partly to cheese off the coin snowflakes, partly to see how much silver was actually in the coin.
I concur
I agree with you most of these large coins were investment gimmicks at best and there too big to be a practical post apocalyptic exchange token, Ag is antimicrobial which is why Ag ion exchanges are used in hospitals and why the colloidal form has a following amongst the natural paths.
Well this ought to bring out the coin lovers🤣 Keep pushing the boundaries my friend😎👍
That ISNT a coin, thats the funniest part, it's a silver round - nothing more.
@@Avalanche2 No that actually is a coin. It has a dollar value and it legal tender in Canada.
This is the one
www.govmint.com/2018-canada-50-dollar-10-oz-silver-magnificent-maple-leaves-bu
@@arkive11 Thats just silly. a $350 dollar coin with a $50 legal tender value? Come on.
@@Avalanche2 American eagles have a $1 face value and are now going for $40 a pop.
It has more to do with the fact they are backed by a government.
Any mint can make an unlimited amount of buffalo generic rounds without a care in the world or the slightest idea how many generic buffalos exist.
Something like this coin are only collectable because there is a finite amount of these minted. Some years they mint a handful of millions, other years like early to mid 2000s they do only 500,000 made.
And with people treating them like generics and melting them for more generics solely because "silver is silver" who knows how many are left the way they were made.
Always check the mintage with your coins, they could be worth more of a premium in your pocket for how few are accountable let alone available.
Key Dates are a really valuable thing to have in any stack.
But you shouldn't melt your maples when you can just melt your herd of buffalos.
@@arkive11 LOL, they were never used as money and were never $1, stop being silly.
Hey sreetips, I’m not sure if the ultrasonic cleans off tarnish but if you take a bowl and line it with tinfoil, making sure the shiny side is facing up, then put some baking soda in it along with your silver and then add boiling water or hot water to it, it will take tarnish right off, amount of baking soda depending on how much silver. You might know this already though!
No, I didn’t know this. Thank you.
@@sreetips I think you have to let it soak for a few mins in it. And no worries
Good choice of coin to use as it's 999.9 silver, most other mints sell 999 silver.
Some people think they have the right to tell you what to do with your own property.
Great video and excellent way to discuss "value". This is something I have been trying to get people to understand for a long time and most just don't get it. They tend to assume that the price put on an object is it's value. A friend was trying to sell their car and they kept saying it is worth XXXX amount but they were not getting any offers near their asking price. I told them that the highest offers they were getting were what the actual value was as it is the BUYER who sets the value whereas the seller sets the price. Something is ONLY worth what someone else is willing to pay for it irrespective as to what you actually to get for it.
Well said
not true!
cause if you're not willing to accept your "highest" offer on your car, you have set its value higher.
its worth what your willing to part with it at.
Just found theses videos, what is the purpose of silver crystal?
It’s high purity elemental silver used to produce investment grade silver coins or bars close to five nines
What is the gas given off the yellow smoke?
Not sure, it’s similar to nitrogen dioxide
Which is better for gold deposition zinc or smb
SMB is selective. Zinc will drop every metal in solution and not give a good separation
do you think it was supposed to be 1.22 grams of silver per ml of 70% nitric?
That number may have been for sterling/925 silver, not pure silver. Copper is alloyed with silver to make sterling/925. Copper takes more nitric to dissolve it than silver does.
@@sreetips oh ok thats makes sense! good job!
Hey, I too wanna start this electrolysis based silver refining. How much time will it take for 5kgs of impure silver to be refined?
It takes me ten days to get 1.5 kilos of high purity silver. If I used two silver cells then it would be double
@@sreetips can we use copper nitrate solution as an electrolyte and use graphite electrodes to extract copper? I have a plenty of copper nitrate solution going as waste. If not, can you tell me how else can I get copper from copper nitrate solution.
I cement the copper on angle iron
Best of the best Popy 👍👍 l indo Popy 🙏🙏👍
Got a question, you ever come across computer components that has gold foil and gold powder in them when in hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide 3%???
I’ve used A/P solution to recover gold foils from computer scrap.
@@sreetips ok, I put 100pcs R2P LOT Dual DIE CPU LGA775 Intel Xeon C2Q Processor in AP the foil started coming off with a metallic powder I think is copper. I didn’t expect copper to dissolve like that in AP but it resembles gold when in power form so it’s still in AP I’ll play with it more when it’s all finished.
I have a couple of silver ingots I made from scrap sterling silver. I suspect the copper may be high in 1 of them as it doesn't seem to shine completely silver & has a slight coppery sheen. how can I refine it to 999 without nitric acid as I live in UK & you can't get nitric acid here (or the home chemicals from your other video). is there any way of refining it with what's available in England? If I melt & repeat with borax would that remove the copper?
Melting and borax will not separate the copper from the silver - it will cause them to alloy. You could try using a silver cell on the sterling silver. But with copper that high the electrolyte would become saturated with copper quickly. Silver nitrate crystals dissolved in distilled water can be used for the electrolyte.
@@sreetips OK thank you. Don't suppose I could post them to you along with some other 925 bits. approx 100g in total. I'll pay you.
or direct me to someone who could? Think it's beyond me getting to 999 with what is available in uk
Thanks for your reply. if I was to use silver nitrate crystals to make a silver cell would the copper affect the solution to the point where I'm experiencing high losses anyway? wish I could just get nitric acid. it would make the process so much easier.
@@iananderson4572 Ian, I use cement silver melted into granules to feed into the anode filter basket. It’s about 99% pure with copper as the main contaminant (also traces of gold and platinum group metals). Feeding sterling/925 silver (it’s about 90% silver and 10%) into the cell will work, but the electrolyte will quickly become fouled by the high copper content. After about 60g per liter copper concentration, the copper can start to plate out with the pure silver thus contaminating the pure silver crystal.
Do you sell your silver you get from your cell for the current asking price?
I have a few ounces of silver crystal for sale on my eBay site. The ask is a hundred bucks. But other than that, I’m not wanting to sell any of my silver. Selling silver, with the spot price so grossly undervalued, would be foolish. I feel like I’m getting cheated selling it for a hundred bucks per ounce on my eBay site.
But, but sreetips you Dissolved my coin collection 🙀 She Gone !
Rounds and coins are both nice as long as someone wants to buy them. You can put a value on something but it won't buy you a sandwich if you can't sell it. Coins are usually easier to sell, though.
Coins are legal tender for a country and have a face value for those who may not know much about it while rounds, which are not legal tender, are considered bullion.
I assume that is legal tender and not just a nice round? What did the reverse look like? Was it a Maple Leaf?
that silver coin is worth way more than his amateur smelting job. Because it's from the Royal Canadian Mint anyone dealing in precious metals know it's the highest quality globally
is it safe to assume the coins to dissolve for electrolyte will be pure silver?
Should be ok if they are 999
How much would it cost to make a lab like you have?
Not sure, I started in my garage and just accumulated the stuff over the years. I had a Chem lab in grade school in my basement. This is kind of an extension of that.
I can't seem to find your ebay store. Please help
eBay user name: sreetips
I only ship to USA locations
Oh My, you murdered the queen......
is that coper turning the electrolyte blue ?
Yes