My grandfather started out as a prospector/miner. His silver finds weren't outstanding, but there was a lot of lead ore. He made a good living as a lead miner/refiner. The mine was sealed up long ago but ore is still present. I'll be able to learn how he did it and teach my grandkids at the same time. Thanks!
You was on the History Channel back in the day I was watching a older documentary on gold. Then I put two and two together. That's the same dude I've been watching on RUclips 😆. Lol
Hi, thanks for the video. What are the ratios of borax and bicarbonate to crushed galena? What is the purpose of the scrap iron in the crucible? How do you separate the lead from the mixture you poured out of the crucible? Thanks.
Its about 1 part borax to one part carbonate (not bicarbonate) to one part galena. The iron reduces the galena to lead metal. The mixture leaves glass and metal which easily separate.
There are uses of lead that have not been superseded by a better replacement product, like red lead paint as anticorrosive agent and in wooden boat building. Also white lead oxide is traditionally used in the cotton caulking of seams. Both oxides prevent the growth of microorganisms while the red oxide prevents the oxidation of iron aswell. Modern anti rust primers are quite useless in comparison!
Hi Chris. Nice video! Thinking of lead-silver, the Goodsprings Mining District instantly comes to mind. Silver in Galena ranges from 2-15 oz/ton. I have some specimens that are 20 oz/ton ! Pure Galena is very cubic, however, as the silver content increases, the cleavage plains become very distorted. That last Galena specimens you showed appeared to be well distorted. Back in the 1870's the Mormons worked the Potosi Mine to make bullets for their militia, however, the high silver content produced brittle amo. They had no way to refine at the time, so it was soon abandoned. Oh, you might want to caution folks about gases from smelting lead sulfide ores. Can't wait to see how much silver you recover !
another great vid i m really enjoying the broad range of your geology knowledge and extracting metals from ore i really enjoyed the serie on copper i look forward to your vids in 2021 may you always have gold in your pan happy new year to you
will borax laundry soap work .... as i am getting a lead mine and it has silver ,, coper and some gold in it to so i am needing to clean it all myself can you please give me some ideas please and if you have done video's can you please get me a link to them thank you
I found some cubic specimens measuring 7-9 mm. Covered in magnesium oxide the seem to be hematite inside. Can iron pyrite do this through a oxidation process? What the heck did I find? Found near quartzsite.
I never got into eating paint chips, maybe dirt possibly long time ago. Still like to put holes in paper with lead. But lead is very useful, and don't forget fishing weights and car tires for balancing just to name a few more . And I hope your Christmas went well. I guess the next time we here from you it will be 2021. So have a happy and safe New Year. Looking forward to hearing and seeing more. Exspeacly gold and silver and gemstones as well as platinum. I guess I'm still thinking about Christmas. LOL.
Another great video, I learn so much from you. Does Galena show on a metal detector? Looking forward to your silver videos, tin also. The extraction methods are fascinating. Thanks again for your efforts, I for one certainly appreciate them.
My grandfather told me about making lead bird shot from lead ore in LaSalle Parish Louisiana. Samples of the lead from this lost mine, supposedly, contained 22% silver.
There are a number of zinc and lead mines located through the Midwest and into the Appalachian mountains, but because of their geology, none have more than a tiny amount of silver. I think your grandfather was wrong or you misunderstood him.
I've been poor all my life and just once I would love to have the money to build myself a Handi cap accessible house can you tell me how I can go about getting enough money to do this I'm not looking to be rich just would like to live my life a little more comfortable as I am handicapped
Sorry Chris, I'm married, .... ..... I use Lead often in construction. Mostly as flashing against weather. Really great for that because 1), it don't pack, 2, it lasts forever, 3) It is very malleable. It's sold in rolls that weigh 50lbs. It comes in 12" 10" 8" and 6" widths. We just finished a home resto in Boston and used 9 rolls on the sill plate flashing and 1 and a half on the new chimney flashing, and 3 on the siding and doors plus window flashing. Over 600 pounds on one house for flashing alone. It's always on the floor at Home Depot or Lowes for a reason. That little roll of it averages $215 for 50 lbs and nobody wants to carry it to the register !!
@@ChrisRalph We could save tons of it in demo debris but only take the copper and brick. We buy it for convenience because I know what it will cover and it's all press rolled out. Scrappers wont take it either, most say they don't have machines to move amounts needed to profit. It's heavier than Gold. You have to melt it, it wont cold fuse because it don't pack. It's going to be very expensive soon.
A year ago I would have assumed the same, however solid/pure/24k gold (19.3g/cm3) is slightly heavier than tungsten (19.25 g/cm3), both are heavier than lead (11.34g/cm3). It's possible that smaller karat sizes/alloys of gold may not be as heavy as solid lead depending on what they are alloyed with. Gold alloys (jewelry) are what the average person would come into contact with unless investing/jewelry making/prospecting etc.
I think the lead is used to pull the gold..then in a cupel to separate noble metals out...like gold or silver. Then maybe chemical process to purify the gold..seperate out any silver or other noble metals. Dont think lead one will do.that
My grandfather started out as a prospector/miner. His silver finds weren't outstanding, but there was a lot of lead ore. He made a good living as a lead miner/refiner. The mine was sealed up long ago but ore is still present. I'll be able to learn how he did it and teach my grandkids at the same time. Thanks!
Sounds great to me.
A great book with all kinds of information. I bought a copy, read it. Great reference.
Thanks for the kind words on the book, glad you enjoyed the video.
You was on the History Channel back in the day I was watching a older documentary on gold. Then I put two and two together. That's the same dude I've been watching on RUclips 😆. Lol
I did several things for the History Channel over the years, but yep, that was me.
I appreciate your efforts to educate us!
Thanks.
Hi, thanks for the video. What are the ratios of borax and bicarbonate to crushed galena? What is the purpose of the scrap iron in the crucible? How do you separate the lead from the mixture you poured out of the crucible? Thanks.
Its about 1 part borax to one part carbonate (not bicarbonate) to one part galena. The iron reduces the galena to lead metal. The mixture leaves glass and metal which easily separate.
There are uses of lead that have not been superseded by a better replacement product, like red lead paint as anticorrosive agent and in wooden boat building. Also white lead oxide is traditionally used in the cotton caulking of seams. Both oxides prevent the growth of microorganisms while the red oxide prevents the oxidation of iron aswell. Modern anti rust primers are quite useless in comparison!
Good point.
Hi Chris. Nice video! Thinking of lead-silver, the Goodsprings Mining District instantly comes to mind. Silver in Galena ranges from 2-15 oz/ton. I have some specimens that are 20 oz/ton ! Pure Galena is very cubic, however, as the silver content increases, the cleavage plains become very distorted. That last Galena specimens you showed appeared to be well distorted. Back in the 1870's the Mormons worked the Potosi Mine to make bullets for their militia, however, the high silver content produced brittle amo. They had no way to refine at the time, so it was soon abandoned. Oh, you might want to caution folks about gases from smelting lead sulfide ores. Can't wait to see how much silver you recover !
I got some over from a silver mine in Mineral County that is very dark gray, almost black from all the silver.
another great vid i m really enjoying the broad range of your geology knowledge and extracting metals from ore i really enjoyed the serie on copper i look forward to your vids in 2021 may you always have gold in your pan happy new year to you
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words.
@@ChrisRalph u got a new subscriber
will borax laundry soap work .... as i am getting a lead mine and it has silver ,, coper and some gold in it to so i am needing to clean it all myself can you please give me some ideas please and if you have done video's can you please get me a link to them thank you
Pure borax, yes, but borax based laundry soap (a mixture of soap and some borax) will not work.
Is scrap iron important for smelting ?
In some types of smelting.
I think thier is some silver in lead , galena ore have 70% lead , and %04 silver , is that right ?
It is variable. Some galena has lots of silver and some has very little silver.
@@ChrisRalph thank you for this information 👍
I found some cubic specimens measuring 7-9 mm. Covered in magnesium oxide the seem to be hematite inside. Can iron pyrite do this through a oxidation process? What the heck did I find? Found near quartzsite.
Yes, iron pyrite oxidizes to hematite on long exposure to air and water.
Thanks for the info. Keep it up👍
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video.
My Wife got me your book for Christmas. Thanks
I'm sure you will enjoy it!
I never got into eating paint chips, maybe dirt possibly long time ago. Still like to put holes in paper with lead. But lead is very useful, and don't forget fishing weights and car tires for balancing just to name a few more . And I hope your Christmas went well. I guess the next time we here from you it will be 2021. So have a happy and safe New Year. Looking forward to hearing and seeing more. Exspeacly gold and silver and gemstones as well as platinum. I guess I'm still thinking about Christmas. LOL.
Right, there are guys who make their own fishing weights, especially the larger deep ocean weights.
wait a minute how do you crush the galena
with a crusher or a mortar and pestle.
Another great video, I learn so much from you.
Does Galena show on a metal detector?
Looking forward to your silver videos, tin also. The extraction methods are fascinating.
Thanks again for your efforts, I for one certainly appreciate them.
Galena will show on a sensitive detector. It wont show on ones that are not that sensitive.
My grandfather told me about making lead bird shot from lead ore in LaSalle Parish Louisiana. Samples of the lead from this lost mine, supposedly, contained 22% silver.
There are a number of zinc and lead mines located through the Midwest and into the Appalachian mountains, but because of their geology, none have more than a tiny amount of silver. I think your grandfather was wrong or you misunderstood him.
@@ChrisRalph That was the rumor. All we know for sure is that the mine does exist but nobody can find it.
@@ChrisRalph Another odd thing about this area...they found gold in Hemps Creek here, just a few miles from my location near Jena Louisiana.
enjoyed the video !!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it, let's get together when the weather warms a little.
@@ChrisRalph sounds like a plan !!!!!
My mine in Arizona the ore is rich in galena thanks for the tips.
Very nice! The next video is about prospecting for lead silver.
I live close to the Galena Mining District in Oregon.
Sounds great.
Nice information sir thank you very much 🙏
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video.
Great teacher! João prospector from Brazil
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video.
Lead keeps bad frequency away if you have mix clothing on it keeps your frequency good x
Hmmmm.... which frequency range?
I've been poor all my life and just once I would love to have the money to build myself a Handi cap accessible house can you tell me how I can go about getting enough money to do this I'm not looking to be rich just would like to live my life a little more comfortable as I am handicapped
I have no idea about funding to build a handicap friendly house.
Sorry Chris, I'm married, ....
..... I use Lead often in construction. Mostly as flashing against weather. Really great for that because 1), it don't pack, 2, it lasts forever, 3) It is very malleable. It's sold in rolls that weigh 50lbs. It comes in 12" 10" 8" and 6" widths. We just finished a home resto in Boston and used 9 rolls on the sill plate flashing and 1 and a half on the new chimney flashing, and 3 on the siding and doors plus window flashing. Over 600 pounds on one house for flashing alone. It's always on the floor at Home Depot or Lowes for a reason. That little roll of it averages $215 for 50 lbs and nobody wants to carry it to the register !!
Most folks who want to reload dont want to fork over $215.
@@ChrisRalph We could save tons of it in demo debris but only take the copper and brick. We buy it for convenience because I know what it will cover and it's all press rolled out. Scrappers wont take it either, most say they don't have machines to move amounts needed to profit. It's heavier than Gold. You have to melt it, it wont cold fuse because it don't pack. It's going to be very expensive soon.
A year ago I would have assumed the same, however solid/pure/24k gold (19.3g/cm3) is slightly heavier than tungsten (19.25 g/cm3), both are heavier than lead (11.34g/cm3). It's possible that smaller karat sizes/alloys of gold may not be as heavy as solid lead depending on what they are alloyed with. Gold alloys (jewelry) are what the average person would come into contact with unless investing/jewelry making/prospecting etc.
yes
Yep.
'''' THANK YOU,,,,,,,,,,SUPERRR...,,,,,,,!
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video.
love you Chris
glad you enjoyed the video.
Lead can be used to help purify Gold in a Cupel also ! ; )
Yep, and I will be doing some of that in the future.
I think the lead is used to pull the gold..then in a cupel to separate noble metals out...like gold or silver.
Then maybe chemical process to purify the gold..seperate out any silver or other noble metals. Dont think lead one will do.that
@@swiftrick15 Watch MBMM "Mount Baker Mining and Metals", you'll see for yourself.
@@denyspoyner4150 I have
I’m a miner of lead…it’s easy. Just go to the range with a sifter and a shovel
Works great at some ranges, not so much at others where it is flat for hundreds of yards.
I use lead solder every day in my job. You can't get it at the store anymore.
Lead has been declared too dangerous for he common man.
i put it in radiation rooms in hospitals last week.
Lead still has some uses beyond bullets.
Lead me to lead.
Exactly.
Really nice 👌 😍💋 💝💖❤️
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video.
I'm sitting on about 600lbs for current and future reloading. You're right,its getting harder and harder to find good sources for lead.
Very true.