Normally the mind’s eye recognizes silver as a gleaming mass of white metal, probably in the form of freshly melted poured bars, representing something akin to wealth.

Historically silver was always money and a tangible portable substance that could be relied upon for the exchange of wants and needs.

A major issue seldom discussed, yet usually assumed is that silver, whether coins or bars are unquestionably pure. Sadly, most of us continue believing in this monstrous myth. As a matter of fact there is no such thing in today’s world as pure anything, except maybe nonsense.

Contrary to popular opinion ignorance is not bliss. Anyone searching the realm of metals soon discovers that purity is not only illusive, but may well be impossible to achieve. Thus, man has settled for something less than the best with the use of degrees of purity, which is often stamped on silver as 800, 925, 999 or 9999. Of course if a person wants higher purity then costs begin to accelerate into a land where few dare or can afford to travel. In other words most of us accept seconds or worse as a standard by which purity is gauged.

I used to hear the analogy – there’s not a dimes worth of difference when referencing two similar items or circumstances. Nevertheless, and regardless of the accuracy of such a colloquial statement a U.S. dime is supposed to be 90% pure silver with the balance weighed as some base metal, such as copper. When one begins to dig a little it should become noticeable that this theoretical 90% silver is also a suspect number, because how pure was pure to set the standard when dimes were a circulatory medium of exchange? Perhaps, the total amount of actually pure (100%, no hidden contaminates) silver was only 89% instead of the claimed 90%? Who knows and as far as I am concerned there are few affordable ways to be sure of what the actual amount of PURE silver that ever inhabited a U.S. minted dime. The point is – if you don’t enjoy being fooled – assume and/or take for granted nothing.

These microchems are a crude way of exploring the world of impurity and are NOT intended to detect trace amounts of any specific element. However, and although most likely improved versions of these microchems could, once refined accomplish this almost impossible task. In fact, even today’s best machines have all kinds of troubles trying to detect what is referred as trace amounts.

As technology continues pushing the limits of size, such as colloidal to nano methods of detecting increasingly smaller quantities will make today’s traces appear like boulders.

To begin this short adventure I previously dissolved an ounce of 9999 silver bullion in 25% HNO3 and chlorine free distilled water. The resultant solution of silver nitrate was vacuum filtered through a 1 micron filter. Upon examination of the filter there were huge amounts of impurities for this so-called 9999 silver. My eye could see the grunge on the filter, but had to use the microscope to see these silicates and a host of unknown brown and blackish particles littering the filter. It was immediately obvious that undoubtedly as much passed through the filter as was seen on the surface. So I filtered again and collected more, but smaller particles.

The vacuumed filtrates (dissolved silver and solid or dissolved contaminates) were dried and ignited producing purer (molten) silver, which was poured into a plastic pale of distilled water to form shot fragments. The smallest fragments to be used for fire assay inquartations and tests such as this microchem.

The smallest silver fragments were placed on plaster tablets and heated to make into small beads and to see if any tell-tale sublimates formed indicating serious contamination. The next image illustrates one of the many plaster tablet melts.

This image shows large silver beads on a plaster tablet, which were previously melted to form spheres instead of hunks. By making silver spheres I can accurately measure and thus determine the amount of silver I am adding to a future fusion. This image also shows the level of impurities. In this particular grouping most of the Pb & Bi have been burned away leaving a brownish tan sublimate (silver oxide). However, when I remelted the same beads on another tablet it was easily noticed that way too much Pb and Bi was still present. Unfortunately, removing these so-called trace amounts of Pb and Bi is really difficult.

The next two images were originally from the same batch of pre-clean silver spheres as shown on the plaster tablet. However, only very small beads of silver are used for assays and tests. The larger spheres are kept for future use when they are cut into smaller pieces and re-melted.

40x – This silver bead measures 0.060” in diameter, which weighs approximately 16.5 milligrams.
To help assure purity of this specific silver bead I dissolved the outer layer of silver that was contaminated in 1 drop HNO3 & 2 drops H2O.

The next image shows the surface contamination that was once on this bead.

40x – This silver bead had been previously dissolved and filtered and melted on plaster. Plus, it was further exposed to more intense heat to burn away as much lead and bismuth as practical.
Yet, to help assure purity – prior to this test it was melted again on a plaster tablet and when molten there formed a blotch of concentrated impurity (Bi?), which is easily seen as a brownish crust. The orangish color is reflected light.
This image is presented so that it can appreciated how much trouble one must go to remove as much of the impurities as possible to obtain reasonably reliable microchems.

An alternative to pursuing my course of action is to purchase the expensive 99999 purity silver nitrate crystals and convert to a metal and check to see if sublimate impurites can be seen, which, most likely will manifest.

50x – The reasonably pure silver bead being dissolved in the 1 drop HNO3 and 2 drops H2O, which is showing the crystal structure of the metal silver.

50x – The super saturation transparent silver nitrate crystals are forming on the perimeter of solution.

Purchased 9999 silver nitrate crystas do not look like this. They resemble translucent cubes.

50x – More transparent silver nitrate crystals forming within the solution.

50x – More silver nitrate crystals along edge of solution.

50x – A single crystal of NaCl added to the solution that has 2 drops of water, which instantly formed this silver chloride blob.
Further dilution of the silver nitrate solution creates different precipitations as shown next.

Further down on this list of images is another view of NaCl added to a more diluted silver nitrate solution.

50x – A single crystal of KI added to the solution that now has a total of 4 drops of water, with no additional further nitric acid.

Further down on these images is another view of KI added to another more diluted silver nitrate solution.

50x – Placed two K2Cr2O7 crystals in the 2 drops of silver nitrate solution, but it is too concentrated because the potassium dichromate only turned a bright red instead of causing crystal growth.

50x – In another silver nitrate solution from the original bead, but diluted to 6 drops of H2O, this single crystal of K2Cr2O7 instantly began growing these bladed red semi-transparent crystals.

50x – The slow but steady growth of the red crystals as the potassium dichromate crystal shrinks in size.

50x – Another view of the above image, after a couple more minutes, with most of the same reddish silver chromate crystals continuing to grow larger.

50x – Same view as the preceding image, but after about 10 minutes.

50x – Added a single crystal of KI to the diluted (6 drops of water) silver nitrate solution and this instant and expanding off-white precipitant formed.

10x – A reduced view of the preceding image, which captures the complete KI precipitation of silver Iodide.

20x – A couple of crystals added to the 6 drops of the silver nitrate solution, which instantly formed this white, fast expanding precipitant.

20x – Another view of the preceding silver iodide precipitation in the 6 drops of water solution.

As mentioned previously, slightly different crystal structures can be achieved with further or less dilution. However, these serve the purpose illustrating the basic over-all appearances.

If I a less than average prospector can do these types of tests then anyone can use these to help identify which rocks require more scrutiny.

Click on one of the three numbers to watch a video clip of Potassium Iodide being inserted into a silver nitrate solution.

When I get more proficient at being able to do 3 things at once (start an in-focused video, placement of the KI on wetted toothpick tip near area where the microscope is centered upon, reduced hand movement during inserting and timely stopping presentation before file size becomes too large) these videos will be replaced with better representations. It took several tried just to capture these less than desirable illustrations.

#1– one drop nitric & 10 drops water (10x)

#2– one drop nitric &. 7 drops water (20x)

#3 – one drop nitric & 5 drops water (10x)

The KI precipitates AgI immediately as a white flocculent.
In 1st two videos the KI can be seen dissolving and thus producing silver iodide.
The more silver in solution the denser the precipitant as indicated in #3. Likewise minor amounts of silver will only produce a few suggestive white whiffs. However, other dissolved elements can mask (interfere) with this white precipitation. Thus, solution contamination can become frustrating, as well as a means by which to help determine quantity or purity.

20x – A toothpick tip that was dipped in the original silver solution that was ignited.
The end of the hot glowing tip is encrusted with solidified silver.

20x – By the time I was able to get refocused and capture this digital image the toothpick had burned a large amount the end, which still shows the silver nitrate now in a reduced but solidified silver metal.

20x – In moving the toothpick the end fell off, but it is still burning and producing silver metal.
The combined weight of the silver on end of toothpick cause it to bend downwards.

20x – The toothpick continues to burn reducing more metal.
The beads of metal are now visible.
The brownish mass supporting the tiny silver beads is also silver. And, if a cigarette lighter flame was applied to this area it would melt producing larger beads.

40x – A magnified view of the preceding image.
If I were to try to move this toothpick with my fingers the tip would most likely fall off.