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Separating the Metal from the Waste Rock
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Separating the Metal from the Waste Rock
Removing the silver metal from the waste rock (step (b)):
The silver metal forms an amalgamation with excess mercury:
Ag + Hg = HgAg (amalgam)
In order to recover the silver metal from the amalgam, the
amalgam is heated in a "retort" until the mercury
vaporizes and leaves behind the silver metal. The mercury
from this step of the process can be recovered to be used in
another extraction.
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Separating the Metal from the Waste Rock
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