Recovering Lead/Copper from a Small Berm

[meaty-btz]

Just thinking, I would like to know of methodology, if you know of it, to recover lead (and the copper) from a small dirt berm. It would be about 30 cubic feet of earth to process. I already picked up a good bit on the surface, penetration is only about 6-10" so we don't have to demo the entire berm.

Just wondering if anyone else has done this for their home range. I would like to recycle all the lead I can for casting.

[klewan]

That's only about a cubic yard, I would build a wood frame with steel mesh that has slightly smaller openings than what you're trying to recover. Prop it up on some sawhorses, shovel in your dirt, use a water hose to spray it if clumps. Think goldminer...

[meaty-btz]

I have concern about water, one being this material resembles good adobe earth, the water would turn into a mess. Dry I get to break up hard dirt clods. Lucky for me I think a good bit of the bullets are intact so screen of small size should catch almost all except the micro fragments.

[chknlyps2]

I use a fine rake and just comb through the dirt, after you find a few they stick out like a sore thumb, might be a little harder if yours are that deep though. I have collected them about 5 or 6 times now and I have a 5 gallon bucket with 3 to 4 inches in the bottom, feels like 40 pounds or more.

You can make a screen out of 1/4 inch hardware cloth and a 2x4 frame. I did this to screen small rocks out of wash sand for mixing concrete. About all that would fall through would be .22 and .223/5.56.

I have picked out some that looked so good you would swear you could load them again.... LOL

[Cowboy T]

Here's one guy's simple, but innovative, way to do it. Yes, it links to another forum, but knowledge is knowledge, we're all comrades-in-arms, and it could help the OP.

http://www.ammosmith.com/forum/index.php?topic=7473.0

[meaty-btz]

Hey, thanks for the link.

I am amused at the thought of this being called mining. Mining for lead indeed. What amazes me is the value of the mass you recover. Lead and Copper (especially copper) are extremely valuable materials.

I am not a tree hugger but I love the idea of recycling in a profitable mind set. Every brass case, every bullet I see $$ either saved, traded, or sold. I look at every piece of brass, even cals I can't use, as a dime a piece. I don't see brass I see dimes and nickels, all over the damn place.

I was sitting inside thinking about all the lead in my now unused private range, long story, and I started seeing money trapped in the berm. The next step was to go mining I suppose.

[meaty-btz]

10#s pictures later.. heat got too much to continue.. lots more dirt to filter.

[meaty-btz]

[Quinc]

You need a rocker box. You will also get every little fragment. Just think of the tens of thousands of rounds out in the clay pits!

http://www.therockerbox.com/drywashing.htm

[Casual_Shooter]

Would it be worthwhile to put the screen over a wheelbarrow? That way, you could move the filtered dirt right after you're done without having to shovel it back into something.

[meaty-btz]

You need a rocker box. You will also get every little fragment. Just think of the tens of thousands of rounds out in the clay pits!

http://www.therockerbox.com/drywashing.htm

I told my wife, there are no no-mining signs at the pits.. Go really early or really late on a week day and mine the crap out of the berms. There must be thousands of dollars in lead and copper out there in the berms.

[Cowboy T]

Hey, thanks for the link.

I am amused at the thought of this being called mining. Mining for lead indeed. What amazes me is the value of the mass you recover. Lead and Copper (especially copper) are extremely valuable materials.

I am not a tree hugger but I love the idea of recycling in a profitable mind set. Every brass case, every bullet I see $$ either saved, traded, or sold. I look at every piece of brass, even cals I can't use, as a dime a piece. I don't see brass I see dimes and nickels, all over the damn place.

I was sitting inside thinking about all the lead in my now unused private range, long story, and I started seeing money trapped in the berm. The next step was to go mining I suppose.

You know, it's funny you put it that way. Reloaders have been known for decades to be the ultimate recyclers. We do it with brass, ammo boxes, lead, and even pull-down surplus powder that would otherwise get wasted or end up in a landfill.

Hey...should we send a letter to Greenpeace detailing our recycling efforts? We're helping to save the planet, aren't we?

[meaty-btz]

Once I get my melting setup going I will take some short vids. MY wife made a minecraft joke.. to which I said.. well it is mining and it is crafting so that works.

Punch Dirt get Lead
Melt Lead
Cast Bullets

[klewan]

Pull the total metal jacket bullets and cut the jacket. I read in one of my reloading books the lead is contained by the jacket and can act like popcorn in your melting pot. Book said to cut it with a file or hacksaw blade.

[fullrearview]

We were going to do this at our department range (to boost our training budget) and recycle it, but when the county found out it would yeild at least 20K they were really about it... So they could keep the funds for themselves.

Good shift you made. Might have to try that sometime.