Alibrite as a cleaner

Hello all,

I have dredged through this forum for an answer but not able to find what I was after. So figured I would ask.

Basically, whilst away on a detecting trip a few weeks ago I came across what I thought was a hotrock. Now, it seemed far to heavy to be made up from ironstone (compared to other rocks the same size), so it was suggested to me that it may contain a descent sized nugget considering its weight.

So on my return I went through the forum looking to find out what chemical to put this specimen in to disolve the ironstone etc. So I settled for alibrite (not sure if this was the correct choice).

It has been in the jar now for about 2 weeks and I was wondering how long does it need to be left in there for and whether I need to change the chemicals after a certain length of time.

I have taken a look through the jar from time to time but I am not sure how long this process takes.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

.

alubright has a % of hydrofluoric acid and should be used very carefully and should be refreshed often when used on gold with impurities ----- be very very careful with and thing that contains Hydrofluoric

Thanks Guys, appreciate the replies. I will get some hydrochloric in the week and try that.
Yes, I have read a fair bit about hydrofloric acic, very nasty stuff if you get it on you. Alibrite only contains 1% hydrofloric acid but should still be treated with care.

I've heard so many stories on this topic, 99.9% of them just doesn't happen! The only way any acid will work efficiently is when the ore is in powder form.
Even our holly water Aqua regia a mixture of Nitric & sulfuric acid which will reduce gold to a clear solution, will not work unless your specimen is crushed into a powder!
Sorry but i think your hoping for a solution that doesn't exist.
Solution - Crush it then pan it.

Someday, Sorry to burst your bubble here m8 but Aqua Regia is a mixture of Nitric and Hydrochloric acid that will dissolve raw gold as well as Platinum upon contact,but not if the gold was encased in quartz or other form of conglomerate.As for "The only way any acid will work effectively is when the ore is in powder form",well,if your ore was crushed to powder form what would be the purpose of using an acid to extract the gold,unless we're after flower gold?
Xenon, change the Ali-Brite solution every three days for a couple of weeks depending on the amount of surface ironstone you wish to remove from your speci. The only reason the hydrofluoric acid in Ali-Brite takes so long a time to dissolve iron stone,quartz or any silica for that matter is because the hydrofluoric quantity in Ali-Bright is at 9.8g/Litre compared to the Sulfuric 47g/L.Unfortunately or should I say fortunately
we are prohibited in obtaining far higher purity Hydrofluoric acid here in Aus because of its highly volatile and dangerous nature.

Cheers kon 61.

I've been dissolving ironstone with HCL for years. Given up on Alibrite for quartz as it takes too long.

Robert

Someday

You hit the nail right on the head,,
Crush and pan the specie for a fast solution.

It may not have any gold in it at all, but could be a very magnetic
rock giving you the signal response.

If i get a rock giving this type of signal i only use the acid treatment
if any gold is visibley showing on the outside and even then i smash it up
a bit to isolate the only part of the rock containing gold..









Pete in WA

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Sorry your spot on the money Kon Yes it's Nitric & hydrochloric not sulfuric as I mentioned. Been a very long time since I've messed around with acids, so the ingredient was just off the top of my head So you did burst my bubble on that one!.
As for why anyone would crush their ore to treat it with good old Holly water, Simple, to put all the heavy's into a liquid concentration and drop each precious metal out one at a time according to your cook book!
This is the only way you can obtain close to 100% pure gold, No exception.
Back to turning a piece of rock that contains some gold into a beautiful gold specimen by using acid "DREAM ON"
Been There, Tried that, witnessed peoples attempts! Laughable?
Just be careful, Don't use glass jars, the acid will seep out in a couple of days.

allibrite has hydrofloric carbon acid in it, think thats how you spell it lmao,, either way the acid is extremely toxic, as the skin absorbs on contact and the body is unable to get rid of it, there fore its effect on the body only increases the more you use it,, hydrofloric carbon on the skin is absorbed in the same way blotting paper absorbes water/ink,,, if you are goin to use it cover all exposed skin to the max,,,, up to you how or if you decide to use the product

happy hunting
Steve and Lea

If you wash your hands in Detol every day, then don't muck around with acids! For petes sake, If your gona go your gona go. Acids or no acids, Just wash your hands in fresh water frequently, and if your about to parse out, take a napp, Snooooooooooooooozzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Like one in a billion?

Appreciate the feed back gents. Always learning something new here everyday.

Cheers kon61.