Brush It Off . . . It’s the Best Way to Reclaim Gold from Plating Tanks

Recycle and Refine GoldSmelting and RefiningRecycle Precious Metals

Nov 7

In today’s post, we’re going to tell you some insider’s secrets on how to extract more gold from old, used gold plating tanks. But because we know your time is valuable, we’re going to start out by telling you one of the most important things first . . .

A round wire brush is the best tool for extracting gold from tanks’ drainpipes

The idea is to use a round wire brush to scour the insides of the pipes that you will find attached to old plating tanks, to collect the powder and flakes that you collect, and to send them to us for recycling.

That’s the basic principle, but here’s how to do it . . .

Determine what kinds of drainpipes are attached to the old tank you’re dealing with. Some old tanks have plastic pipes, which generally do not collect too big a build-up of old metal scrap. Other old tanks have drainpipes that are made of copper, or even iron (often referred to as “black metal”). Those metal pipes are the ones you are looking for, because quantities of gold adhere to them.
Use a round wire brush that is the right size. Measure the inside diameter of the pipes you are processing and use a round wire brush that is that size – or preferably just a little bit larger. Feed the brush into the pipe and turn it to scrape off the plating that has adhered inside the pipe, making sure to collect your scrapings. Some round brushes attach to electric drills, impact drivers and other power tools. They are a good choice but can be too abrasive to use in PVC and copper pipes, where they will scrape away more than just the surface.
Consider cutting the pipe you are processing into short sections. If you have a wire brush that is only 5” long, for example, cut the pipes you are processing into 10” lengths so you can effectively scrape the interior of the whole pipe. Note that copper pipes are especially easy to cut if you use a plumber’s pipe cutter or a hack saw.
Be sure to extract and save filters and grates. You can simply send them to Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners for testing at the same time you send us the powders and scrapings you have collected.
And pay special attention to areas where elbows, bends and end fittings have been attached to those pipes. Extra plating scrap is apt to collect in those areas. You can either scrape out their surface accumulations or cut them out of the pipe and send them to us for testing and processing.
Protect your hands from injury. When using a wire brush to scrape the interior of a pipe, be sure to place the pipe into a vise, where it will be securely held. Always wear thick leather work gloves – a wire brush can cause severe cuts. And remember that the pipes you are processing with a wire brush can become quite hot. So be sure to remember to protect your hands from injury.