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First image the copper nitrate is much darker than the sample in the 2nd image indicating another species is present, with the addition of hydrochloric acid to the 2nd sample I now have a green solution with an unidentified precious metal.
Later I'll make some stannous chloride test solution to identify the unknown species.
https://i.postimg.cc/rpP9Dzc9/wire1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9QzRrbfv/wire2.png
https://i.postimg.cc/6qYqQ4xW/wire3.jpg
Instead of making the stannous, which has a short life span. I've decided to cement the metals out from the green solution then have to powders assayed. If the assay report shows there is something precious then its money well spent as I have a good source for this type of copper wire.
Mystery solved the wire is an alloy of Cu-Ni-Si. it's the nickel content that turned the leach green.Quote:
Originally Posted by alloy2
The Si does not react with the acid and settles to the bottom of the beaker as a white powder.
If your not getting paid for this grade of wire your loosing money.
Some of the better known copper nickel alloys include: Copper with 10% nickel. Copper with 30% nickel. Copper with 25% nickel with 0.05-0.4% manganese.
The wire used fro this test came from electric range but they use the same type of wire in most appliances, it's easy to tell the difference between pure copper wire and this new copper / nickel alloy the latter when bent feels kinds stiff and has slight memory.
I suspect the wire used on PC power supply's is of a similar copper / nickel alloy.
Hills was right there was a big screw up with the Nickel market, even though the LME cancelled the trade the company that made the trade still has ot make good to supply the Nickel. They do not produce pure nickel to the short will have to come from somewhere. It's not like fiat currency where they can fire up the press's to print more.
It's a known fact it more economical to recycle than mine the ore, don't miss out on this opportunity.
Just had a telephone conversation with Marcel a scrap yard owner, he's asked me to send him the cemented powders from this experiment and he'll test it with his XRF.
If the cemented powders turn out to have a good percentage of nickel then this is a good start to get a price increase for this type of wire. Once I have the results I'll post them into this thread.
Estimate this will take a couple of weeks.
Interesting you mentioned this..... I brought in a tote of appliance wire a few weeks back and dude saw some of that wire and pulled it out to show me. He called it lead wire.(lead as in im leading the race, not sinking like lead) He asked if it was from furnaces. He also mentioned that some wire from florescent light fixtures can also be lead wire. Said if i separated it he would pay cat wire price ($1.68/lb) for it instead of #2 or extention cord (.90/lb) wire.
I had mentioned above stating the white precipitate as Silicon, turns out its silver chloride. The white precipitate reacted with sunlight darkening, problem is the manufacture probably used two different wire plating and at this time do not know the code used on the insulation which would indemnify silver plate.Quote:
Originally Posted by greytruck
Silver plated copper passed through a wire chopper, cn would make short work of recovering the silver.
At the moment I'm trying to identify another part rfom the electric range, once I know if it has any value you'll find that information when I have confirmation. I think it maybe a precious metal thermocouple.
Bummer, It's Type T.
Working on another wire source.
Easy to rest if the wire is clad with one of the three metals, tin will dissolve in Muriatic acid, nickel turns the acid green and silver remains untouched - no reaction.
No platinum, silver from the computer supply wires feeding power to motherboard and other accessories.Quote:
Originally Posted by alloy2
Silver chloride reacts with sunlight.
https://i.postimg.cc/5y9zkPL1/s1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/XYBChBGZ/s2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/SK0MpQCg/s3.jpg