Smelting

Although SILVERTIP does not offer custom smelting or refining services, we do utilize these processes when dealing with Miners, with Placer and Mined gold products.    

Below are some pictures of the basic process.

In this case, we started out with Placer Gold, mixed with many impurities.  We need to extract the impurities and seperate the gold into a shinny new bar.

STEP 1

Mixed with fluxes, etc., the product is first melted and poured into Cronical molds.  These pyramid shaped molds help bring as much impurities to the top as possible.  The result is low grade gold buttons that still contain an unaceptable level of impurities.

STEP 2

After melting the buttons several more times, and removing the slag each time, we gradually produce higher quality bars. 

Each time, more impurities are removed, as they attach themselves to the flux.  This layer is thensmashed off, leaving the higher grade gold behind.

Several pours later, very little impurities remain.

.....STEP 10

Doing the final melt

STEP 11

After cooling, cleaning, polishing, buffing by hand and with power tools, the gold is submersed in the ultrasonic machine for 30 minutes..... producing the final product. 

A beautiful poured bar of precious Gold !

This is what is known as a Dore bar, which still requrires a far amount of processing, before it has all of it's impurities removed, and then can be made into bars or coins for resale purposes.