Down the Tubes ... Where to Look for Gold in Pipes and Drains
There are many places to look for gold. You can pan for it in Yukon streams, look for it in dresser drawers, or search for it behind the walls in boats that the government confiscated from drug dealers. But today, let’s consider a place where you have a much better chance of finding gold bits and scrap . . .
In drains and pipes
Why does gold tend to end up in drains and in the pipes that are connected to them? In many cases, it’s because gravity and flow are powerful forces that work efficiently to concentrate gold scrap in drains. Let’s say that you’re hunting for gold in an old jewelry factory that has a drain located in the factory floor. If maintenance workers routinely washed the floor and directed the water into that drain, chances are pretty good that you’re going to find gold there. The drain acted as a very efficient mechanism to collect minute quantities of gold shavings and scrapings that were generated by machinery on the factory floor. Pull off the grate or cover, vacuum out what’s inside, and chances are good that you’ll find enough gold to recycle for a good profit.
Where to Look for Gold in Drains and Pipes
- In floor drains, like the ones we mentioned just above. Sometimes gold concentrates just below them. But it also pays to extract the pipes that are connected to the drains and to methodically look for any low spots in them where water accumulated or dried. Also, if you can find the final location that those pipes led to, and look there. If the pipes ran to a town sewer line, you won’t be able to look there. But if the pipes ran into a cistern behind the building or into a stream (a not-uncommon practice years ago), it can pay you to look there too.
- In drain pipes under plating tanks. We have written about them before on this blog. If you are liquidating the contents of a factory where plating operations were performed, chances are good that gold adhered inside them. Collect those pipes and call Specialty Metals at 800-426-2344 and we can test them for you.
- In vacuum cleaner hoses and tubs. Many pieces of production equipment (including grinders and milling machines) contain vacuum cleaners that continuously trap fine particles in bags and internal receptacles. Look in those areas, but look inside the vacuum hoses that connect to the vacuum cleaners too. Chances are good that they will contain small – but significant – quantities of gold dust and/or grindings.
Gold that Went Down the Drain Can Put Money in Your Pocket
If you can collect a quantity of dust or powder from the locations we mentioned in today’s blog post, call our gold recycling consultants at 800-426-2344. We will be happy to explain how you can send your scrap to us for testing – sometimes for free or discounted shipping fees. Good luck, and happy hunting.
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