Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 10:50:21 -0600 From: "George R. Sooley, D.C." Subject: Silver Reclamation from ancient x-rays Does anyone know how to go about getting a quote on x-ray silver reclamation? I have inherited a lot of old films---mostly from 1979 to 1985, and understand they contain more silver and are therefore more valuable. I am considering doing business with a dealer, but want to have some leverage to get the best deal possible. Thanks for the help! George ---------------------- From: DCDOC@aol.com Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:20:18 EST Subject: Re: Silver Reclamation from ancient x-rays I just got 15 cents a pound for x-rays in folders. They would have paid 21 cents for ones taken out of the folders. I thought it was to age 18. I also keep personal injury X-rays. Richard Rogovin, DC ----------------------- Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 12:35:39 -0500 From: "Dr. John L. Bureau, DC" Subject: Silver Reclamation from ancient x-rays George: A long time ago in a galaxy far away, silver used to be a "precious" metal, worth reclaming. About 6 years ago, I tried to get some information about silver reclammation. I had (still have) a manual system, and I was sitting on approximately 80 gallons of spent chemistry, that I did not want to move and store in my new location. The only available devices were "inline" for automatic processors. Parkers Supplies had once carried something called the "Miner's Bucket" that you plugged into the wall. I was unable to even get from them the same of the manufacturer. The local hospital would NOT accept my chemistry, because they had to PAY to get their own removed. The long distance cost for my investigative efforts was more than the value of the silver i would have recuperated. A couple of years later, I ended up taking my chemistry, labelled "private darkroom" at a regional reclamation site on the day they were collecting household paints, solvents, and other toxic wastes. I might have broken transportation and environmental regulations driving it there in the back of my station wagon. A few years later, I had to purge my films, and i too had to pay someone to take them away from me. My advice? Save yourself the cost and aggravation. Roll your films into tight rolls. Wrap them up in red ribbon. And give them to friends with airtight wood stoves as XMAS firelogs. Dr. John Bureau ------------------------ From: "Dr. Jones" To: "Dr. John L. Bureau, DC" , "George R. Sooley, D.C." Cc: "Chiro-List" Subject: Re: Silver Reclamation from ancient x-rays Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 10:53:15 -0700 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.0518.4 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.0518.4 Sender: owner-chiro-list@silcom.com Reply-To: "Dr. Jones" Wow, Dr. Bureau: I am not sure where you practice, but here in Utah, the silver reclamation business is 'good'. We have a patient who processes photographic film from Utah and several surrounding states. He reclaims the silver from the films, and then recycles the mylar substrate and sells it back to Kodak, at a profit. Kodak then recoats the plastic and sells it to me as new x-ray film. All in all the system here for recycling seems to work pretty well. When I came here from school and was waiting to take the state exam, I gathered up all the old film that my father had shot on his patients, turned it in to the recycler and took home about $170.00 for around 100 #'s of film (the exact amounts may vary somewhat). As for the chemistry, I have been told by my film and chemical distributor that the fixer is the liquid that needs to be controlled, while the developer can be flushed down the drain. Please correct me if I am wrong on this. When I change my fixer solution out, my man just takes the old, and supplies me with fresh solution. I believe this guy reclaims some silver from the solution I trade back to him. For what it is worth... Dr. Jones ---------------------- Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 10:05:49 -0600 From: "George R. Sooley, D.C." Subject: Re: Silver Reclamation from ancient x-rays Thanks for all those who responded. I think I will just go with the local guy I know---less aggravation, and probably as good a deal as I'm going to get. George *******************************