RM,
You are on the right track...
FYI ..when platinum is present, chemists will normally due Aqua Regia test on material and check it out with Chuca's favorite methoed ICPlasma machine, costs about $100,000 per unit, pretty reliable piece of equipment...These tests go on day in day out...
In recovery process at mill, in floatation system...material is placed in barrels containing solution, all minerals float to top in spongy sort of foam. The foam , all metals, are placed in container of sulfuric acid ( I think)...the base metals like lead and copper are dissolved leaving a black mass of platinum group metals. This material is sent to refinery in powder form and smelted. Out of the 100 ounces sent to smelter at a time at $290 per ounce loss in firing is insignificant. Bottom line, platinum does fire, can be recovered and doesn't burn up in process. Call Johnson Matthey(SP) Refinery in Salt Lake City on how process works.They specialize in platinum recovery.
Have office in Connecticut also. Another place is in New Jersey, Englehart Refinery.
Word on the street is that AA machine although very good, can cause
problems because of iron content in material will,may or could cause
readings as platinum. This from Chemist who has 3 ICP systems and
several AA systems..They strictly use ICP.
wl |
