First of all,
you must have gold or silver in your concentrates to begin with and the more of it the better. The microwave gold smelting kiln is
a tool for smelting only. It does not separate out the precious metals that are in your concentrates. You still need to have your end product called "buttons" assayed to determine its purity and content. You can also use the Microwave Gold Smelting Kit to smelt precious metals from computer parts, from old beat-up coins you cannot sell, from old sterling silver silverware, and from your unwanted scrap gold and silver jewelry (use wire cutters to cut the chains into one inch pieces). You may want to check out our
Gold Testing Kits.
Always wear protective clothing and eye protection when using the Microwave Gold Processing Kit! A description of the Kit's main components are as follows:
• The
gold smelting kiln is comprised of the highest quality, high density, no-smoke, high temperature refractory ceramic fiber kiln lining insulation available that is microwave transparent (allows microwaves to go through the material). It has been coated with a silica based rigidizer at the factory to improve the compressive strength of the fiber board and to minimize the potential of dusting, and is suitable for applications up to 2300°F (1260°C). The kiln acts as a thermal insulator to prevent the microwave from being damaged and overheating during the smelting process. Kiln is 9.5 inches tall.
• The
kiln shelf is made of high alumina, which is microwave transparent (allows microwaves to go through the material). It is dense and less susceptible to warping and is safe to use up to 2400F degrees. Your kiln shelf should be dry and protected from moisture at all times. Due to the high temperatures achieved in the microwave process, all kiln shelves will eventually crack due to thermal shock and you may notice a small hairline crack after using it. This is cosmetic only and does not affect the structural integrity of the shelf.
•
Flux material (specially formulated and designed for the microwave process) is mixed with your concentrates before smelting. The flux protects the crucible, allows plasma arcing to occur, and refines the gold processed to a higher degree of purity. When firing, black sands concentrates, iron oxides, etc. are held in suspension by the flux so that the precious metals can be separated and poured into the mold as liquid metal. Store the flux in a dry and safe location, away from children and pets. Wear your dust mask and gloves when mixing the flux and concentrates together.
•
Crucibles go into the kiln and are the "clay pots" that contain your mix of flux and concentrates (or scrap jewelry or old coins you want to melt down). Crucibles can be used several times until the wall becomes too thin. Flux coating on the inside helps them last. Only clay crucibles are microwave transparent (allows microwaves to go through the material). The crucible inside the kiln will ultimately reach temperatures in excess of 2300 degrees Fahrenheit! Make sure there is 1” of space between the top of the crucible and the kiln lid. When crucibles are placed inside the kiln, they absorb most of the microwave energy and only allow a small amount of it to pass through them into the interior where the conductive flux and metals are contained. As a result the crucibles will get very hot, however the plasma arcing that takes place inside of clay crucibles is greatly reduced. In other words, your heat is now a radiant heat from the crucible penetrating inward, rather than the plasma arcing and heating taking place directly inside of the clay type crucible. Always keep your crucibles completely dry; the slightest bit of moisture can cause a crucible to crack upon heating. “Season” crucibles before use be heating the empty crucible inside the kiln in microwave for 15 minutes. Remove the kiln and crucible from the microwave and allow it to cool. Repeat this process again for 15 minutes the second time. This drives off any moisture in the crucible, making it ready to receive its first charge.
• The
conical mold is cast iron. Always pre-heat the cast iron mold to drive off any moisture before pouring into it and to prevent HOT splatters from occurring. After pouring the molten flux mixture into the conical mold, the cooling process begins. The molten flux is actually a form of borosilicate glass and, during the cooling process, the glass will shrink and crack. Often times during the cooling period, small shards of glass will fly outward, so keep kids and pets out of the area and wear safety goggles and protective clothing. After the mold and the borosilicate glass have cooled, invert the mold and the conical shaped glass will drop out of the mold. The smelted metal “button” of gold or silver will be on top of the conical shaped glass.
Download a .pdf here containing more instructions and details about the Microwave Gold Kiln Process.