There are a number of locally available materials that yield gold, silver, and platinum when refined. It actually requires no experience for one to refine precious metals from these locally available materials. One would only need to make sure that he or she has the right information, equipment, and more supplies to get it right. Among the materials one can refine as an individual include electronic scrap such as circuit boards, CPUs, RAM, pins among other components. One can also refine jewelry, coins, and bullion. In addition, one would need to use the catalytic converter to refine platinum metals as well. It would also be possible for one to refine precious metals by utilizing of gold nuggets, black sand or even jeweler waste. It would also be modest for one to know that it is possible for one to refine silver from the x-ray film.
Where one has the material to extract the precious metals from, one would then need to make sure that he or she has the right tool and the procedure. One would need to know that he or she may need salt water or with acid. It is also essential for one to note that both methods work equally. Where one refines the metals for himself or herself, he or she would be sure that he or she would minimize cost, be sure of safety and also be sure that he or she will get what he or she wants. One would only need to master the electrolytic process or the chemical process. One would need to use dilute nitric acid where he or she opts to use electrolytic way but would expect little fumes.
Salt water can be used to refine gold where one uses a very simple procedure. One would simply need to connect a wire to the car battery charger and then tie the metal in question using the wire. Even when one has a lot of materials, he or she would need to make sure that he or she goes for this sample model. One would then turn on the current through the wire and then into the acid. One would be sure that about an ounce of metal would have to dissolve after every one hour.
One would also need to make sure that he or she has a precipitant such as quadratic. One would be sure that pure gold would turn into metal while other materials would remain in the acid or salt used. The part of gold left in the salt water would be about four parts of gold in every million parts of salt water. One would also need to know how to refine platinum using aqua regia as well something he or she can learn from the internet.
Metal Refining Guide 