Processing, smelting, and refining gold 

Smelting gold is the process of removing gold from its ore and separating it from its impurities. Processing, smelting, and refining gold is done with extracted metal, but can also be done with recycled metal material like jewelry. This may be confused with melting gold, but this is the process of simply heating gold to become a liquid, the smelting process is more in-depth.  Gold and other precious metals like silver and aluminum are found via extraction in the earth in its ore. Different types of precious metals require variations and need to be handled properly to receive their best quality.

Smelting gold requires specific ways of processing the ore, the right temperature of the furnace, and exposure to certain chemicals that can help extract the gold’s impurities. The process is done with dangerous chemicals like mercury or potassium cyanide, making it important that the process is done safely and correctly to not hinder the gold’s quality.  

Why smelt gold and the advantages of smelting gold

Gold was once used as a symbol of power and wealth, and while there are still investors in precious metals, technology has found many ways gold can be useful. It is still being used for currency backing, and a majority of extracted gold goes to jewelry manufacturing. There are still many answers to why smelt gold and many ways gold is implemented in other product manufacturing. 

Some of the advantages of smelting gold are that it is used in technology like computers and cell phones. Gold proves to be a useful metal in the manufacturing of conductors. The precious metal is also used in dentistry to fill cavities, and in the medical field for certain treatments. Gold is also used in NASA’s space vehicles in their circuit

Why gold smelting is good for the environment 

Industries like dentistry and aerospace are dependent on the use of gold, making extraction from the earth a necessity. Precious metal extraction is crucial but takes a toll on the earth’s environment, as it is the cause of half of the earth’s carbon emissions. The gold smelting process heightens the quality of the gold found in its ores, bringing a stronger possibility of a long life in the market. 

Gold smelting is also a process of recycling gold so that it can be reused in manufacturing. The recycling of gold doesn’t lessen the quality and can be used to heighten its quality by a thorough process of purification. Gold smelting is good for the environment because the gold that is recovered via recycling can be reused and lessen the need for precious metal extraction. 

Gold smelting and refining process: Gold smelting process description 

When gold is recovered in its ore, the first step is to separate the ore from the gold. The ore has to be finely pulverized using pressure. This melts the gold at 1,064 degrees Celsius, or 1,947 degrees Fahrenheit. The melting does not encompass the smelting process, though it does assist in burning most of its impurities. 

Before the gold can begin the full smelting process, some chemicals like mercury and iron found in the gold’s ore have to be extracted. These chemicals can pose a threat to the longevity of the smelting equipment and the health of the smelter. This separation can be done by heating it in a retort or being oxidized. 

Mercury can be removed when the metal is heated up to mercury’s boiling point. This allows for the mercury to be collected. Iron can be removed from the ore by oxidation with a forced-air oven or nitric acid. Once these metals are removed from the ore, the gold itself has to be purified. 

Purifying gold can be done with chemicals like potassium cyanide that help separate the gold. The gold has to be coagulated into nuggets that separate it from its connected materials. This completes the purification process, as the dangerous chemicals and other lesser quality materials have been removed. 

Now, the gold can be melted one last time. The gold is now in its purest form, has the most worth, and is of the highest quality. Melting the metal makes it easily moldable and it can be shaped into any preferred form. Usually, the gold is formed into bars so that it can be shipped to another manufacturer that can reshape it to use in products. 

The gold may have to go through one last process of refining that can extract any finer impurities that smelting couldn’t. There are three ways that this could be done. The Miller Process blows chlorine bubbles into the gold for refining, the Wohlwill Process uses cathode and Chloroauric acid as the electrolyte, and electroplating is a newer refining process that uses an electric current to dissolve any impurities from the gold. 

Gold smelting services 

Many precious metal refining companies have gold smelting services. These companies recover precious metals by extraction, waste from manufacturing, and individuals looking to recycle. They are dedicated to bringing precious metals back to their original quality and have the best equipment to handle precious metals properly. 

Precious metal refining companies evaluate the metals that they receive and assign the correct monetary value to them so that they can buy the metal, smelt, and refine it, to sell it to be used in the market again. They are not only a great asset for individuals who wish to trade in their unused precious metals for money, but also contribute to the lessening need for earth extraction. 

Many precious metal refineries that provide smelting services allow for precious metals to be shipped to them. A good precious metal refinery is communicative about how to ship metals to them, how they smelt their gold, and how they evaluate it. They also respond quickly with payment and are environmentally conscious as smelting gold requires handling dangerous equipment and chemicals to get the best results. 

Majestic Corporation has been a leading precious metals recycling, non-ferrous metals and Catalytic converter provider for around three decades. With a presence in the United States, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Italy, Mexico, Australia, Hong Kong and more, as well as a network of precious metals refineries around the world, we work with major customers and partners in a transparent and discrete manner and only offer the highest quality services at competitive prices. 

Contact us here for more information.