How to estimate the amount of gold in electronics and jewelry
- Thread starter catfish
- Start date
Help Support Gold Refining Forum:
qst42know
Well-known member
You don't need the Shor system. The stripping cell will take the gold off the copper. Nitric will dissolve the copper leaving the gold foils behind for further refining. AP or hydrochloric acid/ peroxide may work as well to remove the copper but a bit slower. Do some reading on the forum a few processes will suit your circumstances.
To me, the pieces in the photo look like the tips of pins that were cut off - maybe only the tips were plated. If so, they should run about the same, per pound, as fully plated pins. I would guess around $90-$100/pound, more or less. You have about 1.7 pounds.
With the Shor system, I would worry about the small amount of gold getting lost in the shuffle. I would use either HCl/H2O2 (AP) or nitric to first dissolve the copper - if nitric is used, it will take about .83 gallons. Then dissolve the gold residue in HCl/bleach or aqua regia.
With the Shor system, I would worry about the small amount of gold getting lost in the shuffle. I would use either HCl/H2O2 (AP) or nitric to first dissolve the copper - if nitric is used, it will take about .83 gallons. Then dissolve the gold residue in HCl/bleach or aqua regia.
Hi all, I'm relatively new to refining and mostly took it up because I needed a hobby. I have been in a collecting stage for a few months and have a decent amount of cpu's, gold-fingered cards, and karated jewelry. I've been through youtube numerous times, coming across this site on one of the videos. You guys should be commended for taking much of the mystery out of the refining process. The amount of info here could keep me busy for another couple of months. One question I have right off the bat is pretty basic, and just deals with sourcing nitric acid. I did notice that there were a few methods of dissolving gold without AR and would be willing to try those methods, but it seems that AR is, for lack of a better term, the "gold standard" in refining. Does it really make a difference, or would I be equally served to use the HCL-CL method? Oh and before I go too far, I'm colorblind which makes this entire process a bit more difficult!
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2007
- Messages
- 8,360
I refined for years (commercially), using none of the work-around methods that are promoted on this forum. It goes without saying, if you can procure commercially prepared acids, your task will be much easier. However, that isn't always possible, in particular where nitric acid is concerned. Many have turned to making their own, while others readily pay upwards of $60/gallon. It's a rip-off, but one in which you will have little control unless you are a licensed business and can justify the purchase in volume. Precious few meet that criterion.
My advice to you is to study the methods promoted here, and to use those that will be within reach. They all work, it's just a matter of degree, and how you approach refining. For example, some consider evaporating a nuisance, while others evaporate routinely. A great deal depends on what becomes your normal routine.
My personal choice was to follow Hoke's teachings. She never lead me astray, although I was quick to abandon her recommendation to toss gasoline on materials that were being incinerated.
Harold
My advice to you is to study the methods promoted here, and to use those that will be within reach. They all work, it's just a matter of degree, and how you approach refining. For example, some consider evaporating a nuisance, while others evaporate routinely. A great deal depends on what becomes your normal routine.
My personal choice was to follow Hoke's teachings. She never lead me astray, although I was quick to abandon her recommendation to toss gasoline on materials that were being incinerated.
Harold
Harold_V said:
Lol! Thanks for the advice. I have a local supplier that sells nitric in volumes as low as a liter, but have not been able to get a call back. It must be as you said concerning a licensed business. I'll have to look for Hoke's teachings, I did already bookmark several of the handbooks referenced. Thanks again Harold, appreciate the input.
Andy
Andy, Welcome to the forum!
I strongly encourage all new members to follow the Guided Tour created by LazerSteve. It will provide an introduction to the forum and numerous valuable links. Be sure to follow the link to his web site as he has many outstanding videos, a collection of great reference documents, and he sells a lot of the supplies needed to get started including detailed instructional DVDs.
You can download C.M. Hoke's book Refining Precious Metal Wastes here. You'll see this book mentioned repeatedly here on the forum for good reason. It is probably the best book ever written for the beginner who wants to learn refining. It is written in layman's terms and will provide a solid foundation that will help you understand everything you read here on the forum.
Finally, and I can't stess this enough, read EVERYTHING in the Safety section of the forum. No amount of precious metal is worth jeopardizing your health or the health of those around you.
Once you understand the basics you can start to try some small scale experiments. If there's something you don't understand or you get stuck, there will be someone here to help you.
Best of luck,
Dave
I strongly encourage all new members to follow the Guided Tour created by LazerSteve. It will provide an introduction to the forum and numerous valuable links. Be sure to follow the link to his web site as he has many outstanding videos, a collection of great reference documents, and he sells a lot of the supplies needed to get started including detailed instructional DVDs.
You can download C.M. Hoke's book Refining Precious Metal Wastes here. You'll see this book mentioned repeatedly here on the forum for good reason. It is probably the best book ever written for the beginner who wants to learn refining. It is written in layman's terms and will provide a solid foundation that will help you understand everything you read here on the forum.
Finally, and I can't stess this enough, read EVERYTHING in the Safety section of the forum. No amount of precious metal is worth jeopardizing your health or the health of those around you.
Once you understand the basics you can start to try some small scale experiments. If there's something you don't understand or you get stuck, there will be someone here to help you.
Best of luck,
Dave
Thanks Dave, I appreciate the help. There's so much that I want to do right away, I feel ADHD, but I will take the advice both you and Harold have offered. I'll start with Hoke's book and then hit the guided tour. Thanks for being available, and thanks for the links, that is doubly appreciated!
Andy
Andy
hi, new here, hoping someone could give me a little info. I got a few boards like the one pictured out of a very old military type audio scrambler. I personally have never seen circuitry like this, mostly just seen printed boards. I've scraped away at the gold fairly deep, is it possible that this is not plating but solid gold alloy circuitry? Can't find any info on google about pre-1950's boards. Thanks for any info!
Attachments
Have you tested for gold? I have one that looks just like your first picture and its silver. From your picture the coloring is slightly different, so I'm not saying its not gold, It's just good to check and know for sure =))
~Chris!~
ps. Nice find
~Chris!~
ps. Nice find
Mechanic688
New member
Hello, long time lurker and reader, first time poster. I just wanted to add to check the transistors on those boards for gold plated legs.
I have a couple of oz's of different style of transistors manufactured with gold plated legs and some with gold bodies.
Seem to be common in the 60-70's circuit boards, even the brown TV/stereo boards.
Sorry for the blurry pic's but at least you get the idea.
I have a couple of oz's of different style of transistors manufactured with gold plated legs and some with gold bodies.
Seem to be common in the 60-70's circuit boards, even the brown TV/stereo boards.
Sorry for the blurry pic's but at least you get the idea.
Attachments
on a bendix connector with gold plated pins, 26 pins and listed in NSN report PRECIOUS MATERIAL AND WEIGHT 0.026 GOLD GRAINS, TROY AND 0.026 SILVER GRAINS, TROY
would the 0.026 grains be each pin or total for connector, don't have pin info , just wondering if this is enough info , without the Length and Diameter plus how much area .026 might cover ,
http://www.dlis.dla.mil/webflis/pub/pub_search.aspx?niin=5935009897064&newpage=1
NSN report
would the 0.026 grains be each pin or total for connector, don't have pin info , just wondering if this is enough info , without the Length and Diameter plus how much area .026 might cover ,
http://www.dlis.dla.mil/webflis/pub/pub_search.aspx?niin=5935009897064&newpage=1
NSN report
joem
Well-known member
Hey Mechanic
I like your profile pic of the Russian Blue.
I had the same type of cat when I was a teen.
Best cat ever, I named him Carwash and his favorite food was pancakes and syrup.
I like your profile pic of the Russian Blue.
I had the same type of cat when I was a teen.
Best cat ever, I named him Carwash and his favorite food was pancakes and syrup.
Joe,
We had one named Sadie, my wife loved her immensely.
She met a terrible death several years back at the jaws of two of my dogs after they broke into the house.
A very bad day for me and the wife! The misses cried for two weeks nearly every minute until the day I brought home a new cat. She hasn't shed a tear over Sadie since.
Steve
We had one named Sadie, my wife loved her immensely.
She met a terrible death several years back at the jaws of two of my dogs after they broke into the house.
A very bad day for me and the wife! The misses cried for two weeks nearly every minute until the day I brought home a new cat. She hasn't shed a tear over Sadie since.
Steve
Hi Steve
Many thanks for the DVD i Bought,,much info that i needed,,
I would like to know if anyone in this forum knows how many ppm in preciuos metal content there is in eg,,1 tonne of mother boards, cpu chips , memory ram,,etc,,
I know it depends on year they were made, country, brand, use, refining process and trustworthy REFINER
Cheers
Many thanks for the DVD i Bought,,much info that i needed,,
I would like to know if anyone in this forum knows how many ppm in preciuos metal content there is in eg,,1 tonne of mother boards, cpu chips , memory ram,,etc,,
I know it depends on year they were made, country, brand, use, refining process and trustworthy REFINER
Cheers
goldsilverpro said:
i am from lebanon new in this but in 1984 i was told that the man that fix electronics for the militery group i was with was happy to fix uk made i think it was racal transrecever and exchange solid gold tuner for gold plated ...i was told that they made it to stand a lot of rain so that the army can link in all weather.
still learning
New member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2013
- Messages
- 3
ok? this may be a dumb question and or it might've been answered some where else, i dont know at this point in time. to the gentleman and or lady who was posting the memory stick( gold value). wat type of stick were u testing out. and wat was the speed of the sticks as well. cuase i've read eles where that those chip might contain silver an or gold as well. have u thought about the percentage in those chips as well.
