A lot of people are a little bemused by the propensity for some CS manufacturing websites who say that they “Only Use .9999 Fine Silver” and how only the higher grade is any good. This is what Jason Hommel (a Silver Bullion dealer) has to say about the difference between .999 and .9999 fine Silver:
“Ah, here’s another little gem for the silver bugs. There is no discernible difference between .999 silver and .9999 silver. I finally have several sources that back up my statement. First, in any melt bucket, all the impurities in the silver will rise to the top, and can be skimmed or blasted off of the top of the molten silver. But the melt bucket does not refine the silver, that’s done through electrolysis. It’s therefore the same process for .999 and .9999 silver. The difference is only in the label and the marketing, in my expert, well researched opinion. I have tested .999 silver on an x-ray fluorescence tester, and it reads out at .9999 fine. I have asked several mints and refiners and industry experts all the same question, and they all say the same thing, they don’t know of any difference between .999 vs. .9999 silver, because of all the same reasons, because it’s all the same process, except for the final stamp at the end of the line. Maybe .9999 silver is more fraudulent, because they are overselling their product? Maybe .9999 silver becomes .999 silver if you contaminate it with a thumbprint? But the melt bucket does not care or distinguish between 999 silver vs. 9999. I am open to the possibility that I’m wrong, but so far, I have not seen any measurable difference between 999 vs 9999 labelled silver.”
http://silverstockreport.com/2013/silver-market-facts.html
DON’T BOTHER buying .9999 fine Silver for your Anodes. Use .999 fine; it’s perfectly good. There are more impurities in the Distilled Water than the difference between the two grades of metal.
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