Heat spreaders from CPUs

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punkymunk

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2015
Messages
19
Correct me if I'm wrong but I've learned that the heat spreaders from P4 & newer Intel and modern AMD CPU's are solid copper plates with a Nickel electroplating. If that is so... is it worth trying to find out how to reverse electroplate to remove and collect the Nickel or best to just toss the pieces as is into my #2 scrap copper pile? As of this posting, Nickel is nearly double that of copper in value. I have about 20 pounds of those heat spreaders separated from CPUs that weren't sellable on eBay before scrapping.
 
Just toss them, the nickel plate is too thin to bother with in my opinion.

But before tossing them check the bottom first, the ones soldered to the die is usually gold plated on the solder area. The gold plate can be removed in a sulfuric cell.
I don't know if there is an easy way to recover the solder, it is probably indium-based.
Read more about it here http://goldrefiningforum.com/~goldrefi/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=17250

Göran
 
Also, the copper heat spreaders that have gold plating can be boiled in HCl to remove the gold plating. It comes off after some time in nice clean foils. The solution can be added to your next batch of AP.
 
Thanks. I figured as much regarding those w/o the gold plating. I've seen here on this forum and other sites that the ones with gold may be worth reclaiming the gold and it appears it's still a big debate on whether or not to collect the solder globules on those being that they supposedly contain indium to some degree plus the value being not much different than that of silver.

My on-going problem with reclaiming / refining any PMs of the material I continue to accumulate is still my limited knowledge on being a chemist & metallurgist and my lack of suitable facilities to even start practicing what little I (think) have learned. Even simple boiling HCL isn't safe for me since I don't have a fume hood for all the bellowing vapor-smoke of HCL vapor or any other suitable ventilation within my shop. I learned the hard way that even on a windy day with two windows open, a box fan facing outward in one, the HCL on a hot plate & 2000mL beaker just behind the fan, and a strong gas mask still didn't stop the vapors from filling my shop and corroding my metal tools and whatnot in my shop. That was my 1st attempt at any gold recovery from a year or more ago and from 9 ounces of CPU pins. I quickly learned I am not ready in ANY way... and may not ever be. I still have that "rusty" crud in the bottom of that beaker on a shelf, covered to remind me not to attempt anything again yet lol.

Anyways... thank you guys for your replies and those heatspreaders with gold I will add to my of PM stock pile and the others just toss in with my #2 copper pile.
 
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