Elements of the Theory and Practice of Chymistry, 5th ed.

by Pierre Joseph Macquer

The precaution of covering the crucible with another crucible inverted, which hath only a small hole in its bottom, is designed to prevent any of the Silver from being lost in the operation: for when the Nitre comes to be acted on by a certain degree of heat, and especially when it deflagrates with any inflammable matter, part of it flies off, and so rapidly too as to be capable of carrying off with it a good deal of the Silver. The little hole left in the covering crucible is necessary for giving vent to the vapours, which rise during the deflagration of the Nitre, as they would otherwise open themselves a passage by bursting the vessels. After the operation this vent-hole is found beset with many little particles of Silver, which would have been lost if the crucible had not been covered.

If you should observe, during the detonation of the Nitre, that a great many vapours issue through the vent-hole with a considerable hissing noise, even without applying the coal, you must take it for a sign that the fire is too brisk, and accordingly check it; else a great deal of the Nitre will be dissipated, and with it much Silver.

You must observe to take the Silver out of the fire as soon as it is in fusion: for if you neglect this, the Nitre being entirely dissipated or alkalizated, the calces of the metals destroyed by it may possibly recover a little phlogiston, communicated either by the vapours of the charcoal, or by little bits of coal accidentally falling into the crucible; by which means some portion of those metals being reduced will mix again with the Silver, prevent its having the desired degree of purity and ductility, and oblige you to begin the operation afresh.

PROCESS IV.

To dissolve Silver in Aqua Fortis, and thereby separate it from every other metalline substance. The Purification of Aqua Fortis. Silver precipitated by Copper.

The Silver you intend to dissolve being beaten into thin plates, put it into a glass cucurbit; pour on it twice its weight of good precipitated aqua fortis; cover the cucurbit with a piece of paper, and set it on a sand-bath moderately heated. The aqua fortis will begin to dissolve the Silver as soon as it comes to be a little warm. Red vapours will rise; and from the upper surfaces of the Silver there will seem to issue streams of little bubbles, ascending to the top of the liquor, between which and the Silver they will form, as it were, a number of fine chains: this is a sign that the dissolution proceeds duly, and that the degree of heat is such as it ought to be. If the liquor appear to boil and be agitated, a great many red vapours rising at the same time, it is a sign that the heat is too great, and should be lessened till it be reduced to the proper degree indicated above: having obtained that, keep it equally up till no more bubbles or red vapours appear.

If your Silver be alloyed with Gold, the Gold will be found, when the dissolution is finished, at the bottom of the vessel in the form of a powder. This solution must now be decanted while it is yet warm; on the powder pour half as much fresh aqua fortis as before, and make it boil; again decant this second aqua fortis, and repeat the same a third time; then with fair water wash the remaining powder well: it will be of a brown colour inclining to red. In the observations we shall show how the Silver is to be separated from the aqua fortis.

OBSERVATIONS.

All the processes on Silver already delivered, whether for extracting it from its ores, or for refining it, either by the Cupel or by Nitre, are applicable to Gold also. And if Silver be alloyed with Gold before it undergo those several operations, it will still remain alloyed therewith after them, in the same manner, and in the same quantity; because both metals bear them equally. All therefore that can be expected from those several assays, is the separation of every thing that is neither Silver nor Gold from these two metals. But in order to separate these two from each other, recourse must be had either to the process laid down under the head of Gold, or to that here described, which is the most commodious, the most usual, and known by the names of Quartation and the Parting Assay.

Aqua fortis is the true solvent of Silver, and is utterly incapable of dissolving the least atom of Gold. If therefore a mass consisting of Gold and Silver be exposed to the action of aqua fortis, that Acid will dissolve the Silver contained in the compound, without touching the Gold, and the two metals will be separated from each other. This method of parting them is just the reverse of that described before under the head of Gold, which is effected by the means of aqua regis.