Home Made Retort

This is what I use for removing Mercury after amalgamating it with the fine gold, it works very well.

I know, I know, be careful with this stuff, keep it under water whenever possible and don't handle it without rubber gloves etc.

Fill the main box with water and it condenses the mercury and it drops straight into the container filled with water, make sure there is an air gap between the water and the discharge tube.

Heat the cup with the gold/mercury amalgam to very hot and the mercury will separate and condense an fall into the water dish.

Remove the gold when cool and then use the furnace and crucible and mould to pour a gold bar.



I use 2 gas torches for the heat source.


cheers dave

Looks the goods Dave!

I'm in the process of making one also at the moment so it's good to see another design.

Dave, very simple idea. Silly question, is that tube from melt pot to outlet one continuous tube sort of like a still setup but on its side? And i prsume that the melt pot is sealed so no vapour gets out elsewhere.
thanks TG

travelergold wrote:Dave, very simple idea.     Silly question, is that tube from melt pot to outlet one continuous tube sort of like a still setup but on its side?  And i prsume that the melt pot is sealed so no vapour gets out elsewhere.
thanks TG

G'day travelergold

Yes, the tube is one continues tube running at an angle downwards through the water filled box to the other side where the condensed mercury drops into the dish of water.

The water box is 90mmx90mm square tube (SHS) 260mm long, little filling tube is 50mmx50mm square tube (SHS) 50mm long, pipe tube is thin wall 15mm ID like pool fence pipe 500mm long. I have see one made from 100mmx 50mm rectangle tube (RHS) used on it's edge that way you can get a slightly steeper angle on the condenser tube running through the water.

Cup is a 50mm threaded pipe cut off at 60mm long then screws into a 50mm pipe socket 50mm long fully weld a cover plate to both top and bottom pieces make sure they seal completely. We use fire clay on the pipe thread to get a good seal each time we use it.

Legs are 10mm rod.

cheers dave

Great project Dave looks like you have put a lot of thought into it.


Captn

Thanks for the explanation, is really such a simple idea. We have got more murcury since the bash with lots of fines in it now.
is still scary stuff, am being super careful with the stuff. I just didnt want to have it evaporate into the atmosphere cookn it in spuds.
so many good reasons to belong to this forum
cheers travelergold

Nice build there Dave.

Here is a vid of the one I built, its a bit of a different design.

https://youtu.be/9kx_7Gv6jlk

Works well with gas torches as well, but im a tight ass and just use wood