# Cell Phone Boards



## Geld Konig (Oct 12, 2010)

Hi,
I have about 700 cell phone boards to process. So, I ask what the best way to process them.
In the boards there is only IC and capacitors. Others parts I pick up out of the board.
Processes:
I) Use HNO3 to atack the ICs and capacitors off the boards. Certainly some Au plated will be out off the boards. And some Ag are in the solution in the form of AgNO3 with some Pb(NO)2.
Before this, use AR to remove all rest of gold plated of the board.

II) Use a hot form to remove the ICs and capacitors. Before this use AR or AP process.

III) Use AP process to remove all parts (ICs, Capacitors, Au plated)

IV) Use HCl to remove the solder ( Pb & Sn ) and so, it more easy to take the ICs and capacitors.

V) Use another physical method to remove ICs and capacitors.

All parts of Fe, plastics and contacts( like slots) are removed off boards.

I know the best way are concentrate the Au in solid form and before this to process it.

The ICs must be process in a batch, separately and finely broken.

What do you think about?
Thanks to any suggestion.

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/posting.php?mode=post&f=37#


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## Chumbawamba (Oct 12, 2010)

Since the boards are small and not populated with stiff metal objects like computer motherboards, I would first roast them and then crush them into smaller bits in a ball mill, then process the resulting material with various processes to recover the various elements.

Please note that I have no idea what I'm talking about, but you must admit it sounds good.


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## texan (Oct 12, 2010)

I have done a few hundred cell phone boards out of my cache of about 10k plus. So far I have not gotten farther than recovering the gold from the boards and the smaller plated contacts. Some components are thickly plated and large enough to use a sulphuric acid cell (mine is under construction) and I have been stockpiling those parts. My solution to stripping the boards is using a heat gun...about 15 to 30 seconds a side and your done. I use an adjustable stand I got at Fry's Electronics to hold the board during the process and allow the components to fall into a tray for sorting later. I then allow the boards to sit in HCL for 5 to 10 minutes to remove solder... rinse and then into AP to recover the gold. The gold on (most) cell phone boards will come off as thin foils that will break into dark powder after agitation. You will end up with a mixture of foils and powder to dissolve with HCL-Bleach. The IC's (flat packs and gold brazed components) I am stockpiling until I work up procedures for these. I have dissected enough of these components to realize this is where the majority of the gold is hidden. I do have enough gold precipitate to start working on doing my first "button" that I can show off here.

Texan


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## Ocean (Oct 24, 2010)

I buy cell phones boards at $8/lb if some of you decide that this is too much work for too little return. :lol:


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## Geld Konig (Oct 29, 2010)

i buy each cell phone board at R $ 0,25. 25 cents (Real). 1US$ = R $ 1,70 now . 60 cell phone boards is 1 Kilo( 1000 g).
So 1 kILO CELL BOARD IS 15 REAIS. 1 Kilo is, more or less, US $ 8,82. teorycally ( 1 cell board= 0,034g of Au) They give me
2, 04 g of AU. So, 1 Oz is US 1 340,00 then 1g is US $ 43,08 ( 1340 /31.1g = 43,08 ) and 2,04 g x 48,08 = US $ 98,08
Compare 1 Kilo cell board US $ 8,82 paid. They give me US $ 98,08. 98,08 - 8,82 = 89,26.
I think , really, cell phone boards are a gold mine in the city. And they( cell phones) grow each year. Here in Brazil, there are about 180 millions cell phones.


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## Geld Konig (Nov 5, 2010)

I used concentred HCl ( only) to attack the Sn of the solder. So, I put some cell phone boards into solution. After 12 hours, all chips ( ICs ) came the board off. Now, with despopulated cell phone board, is only to put into AP solution to get the Au foils.


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## texan (Nov 5, 2010)

After 12 hours in HCl you will start to get gold separating from the PCB....(actually on some cell PCB boards the gold can start coming off in a matter of a few minutes)...then with your procedure you will have a mixture of components, many of which do not have any gold in them mixed in a solution of HCL with solder disolved in it and a fair amount of the gold you are trying to recover. In other posts I have outlined a much cleaner step by step process for depopulating the cell phone boards using a heat gun. You will have depopulated boards and compnents to sort. Many of the components will need to be processed according to type and not just mixed together. Some of the larger plated items will need to be run thru a sulphuric acid cell to deplate the gold. Cell phones are a source of gold, but there are no short cuts to recovery and it will take a considerable amount of work to minimize loss. After the first of the year...after I get a tweak or two done to my lab bench (mostly just cleanup) I will post some photos of my recovery set up. Most of the gold that separates from a cell phone board will not come off as a foil a la fingers...it will come of as a dark powder that will settle to the bottom of your container.

Texan


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## Presto majic (Dec 16, 2010)

I am new. So I am a little slow!

Can someone explain Geld Konig's math?

Is he refining himself or is he sending out to a refiner?

Help appreciated!

I am trying to decide if I should sell my cell phones as is. 

Or. 

Take them apart and sell the boards to a refiner. 

Thanks everyone for your comments!


PM


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## steveonmars (Dec 29, 2010)

What I do with these is use a toaster oven I bought at goodwill for $5. You can fit 3 or 4 side by side and get a rhythm going it takes no time at all to depopulate 100 boards. Let them heat a minute or so an using pliers hit it on the inside of a plastic bucket an the components fall off. You can use a putty knife to scrape off any that stick and wipe off excess solder off with a rag. The boards are then ready for AP.


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## Hephaestus (Jan 24, 2011)

Geld Konig said:


> i buy each cell phone board at R $ 0,25. 25 cents (Real). 1US$ = R $ 1,70 now . 60 cell phone boards is 1 Kilo( 1000 g).
> So 1 kILO CELL BOARD IS 15 REAIS. 1 Kilo is, more or less, US $ 8,82. teorycally ( 1 cell board= 0,034g of Au) They give me
> 2, 04 g of AU. So, 1 Oz is US 1 340,00 then 1g is US $ 43,08 ( 1340 /31.1g = 43,08 ) and 2,04 g x 48,08 = US $ 98,08
> Compare 1 Kilo cell board US $ 8,82 paid. They give me US $ 98,08. 98,08 - 8,82 = 89,26.
> I think , really, cell phone boards are a gold mine in the city. And they( cell phones) grow each year. Here in Brazil, there are about 180 millions cell phones.


Those numbers are truly great Geld Konig. So great that you got me thinking...


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