Important: Safety Warning
This page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Home › Recipes › To make a solution of tin in aqua regia
To make a solution of tin in aqua regia
Mix together 8 ounces of filtered river water, and 8 ounces of double aqua fortis; add gradually half an ounce of salammoniac dissolved piece by piece, and 2 drachms of salt petre. Then take 1 ounce of refined block tin: put it into an iron pan, and set it over the fire; when melted, hold it 4 or 5 feet over the vessel, and drop it into water, so as to let it fall in pieces. Next put a small piece of this granulated tin into the above aqua-regia, and when the last piece disappears, add more gradually till the whole is mixed; mind and keep it firmly corked. When finished it will produce a most excellent yellow, though should it fail in that respect, it will not be the worse for use; keep it cool, as heat will injure and even spoil it.