Gemology school and cadmium

Hi, Are any of you well traveled orchid folks familiar with the
gemological school in Bangkok called the ‘Asian Institute of
Gemological Sciences’ I’m looking for a program in that part of
the world and knew someone would know something! Also on a
recent trip to Nepal my jeweler friends there were telling me
about the problem of buying silver with too much cadmium in it?
I’m not positive that is what they were saying, but that is what
I understood, and they say it has been a very dangerous problem
there?- any of you heard or know anything about this.

Thanks, Suzi

Hi Suzi Cadmium has, in the past, been added to silver to make it more
resistant to oxidation, and more ductile for spinning. The problem is
that cadmium is highly toxic, and will volatilize if cadmium
containing silver is melted. I would avoid this like the plague!
Indium is often used as a substitute for cadmium in silver alloys.
This is much less hazardous, and imparts the same properties. It is
unfortunately also quite a lot more expensive - there had to be a
catch. :slight_smile:

Cheers for now
Nils

I got an assay in N.Y. the other day on my bench sweeps which
contained approx. 30% silver and 3% cadmium which I thought was alot
of cadmium. I knew my gold solders contain cadmium, but the refiner
told me the cadmium was from the silver. It’s a know carcinogin and
gets into your blood stream and wreaks havoc, from what I understand.
Another good reason to work on those ventilation systems, especially
if your working with alot of silver. Snowed in in N.J. and getting
alot of work done!! Ed Dougherty