# Newbie trying to reclaim gold with Electrolysis



## nordis2010

Hi Everyone.

Very cool forum, this is my first time on here.

I've actually been scraping computer equipment in small to good size amounts for years. However I've always felt that I have giving away the cow so to speak!
Currently I have a good stack of older boards, cards of all types, CPU's, and some memory chips. 

I'm not trying Aqua Regia, at least not yet because I'm doing this at home. So I found a bunch of posts on different sites regarding Gold Transfer VIA Electrolysis, along with many videos.

All pretty much state the same thing.
Use the following
1. Use electrolysis to recover gold from PC-Boards and chips. 
2. For this option, you will need an electrolysis system and a car battery charger. 
3. Connect the charger cable to the CPU chip. 
4. Submerge the chip in the electrolysis bay, and turn on the battery charger. 
5. It will take between 30 and 90 minutes to abstract the gold from the chip. 
6. The gold will form flakes on the electrolysis plate, which you can scrape off and collect.

So those were my instructions and that's all I'm trying to accomplish. I don't want a colloidal gold in water mix that I have to heat to recover after. I will save that for later.

What I used was the following, and I would like some feed back on this if anyone could assist.
My setup
1. Cup of distilled water with 2 table spoons of 99.99% pure Citric Acid
2. Small car charger, 800ma @ 12 Volts AC < no adjustment on this Charger
3. Positive Terminal connected to Gold tab on chips
4. Negative Terminal connected to Stainless Steel plate, 8 inch by 2 inch strip.
5. Tried various tests left in solution for 40 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 2 hours.
End result,
No Gold on the Stainless Steel Anode, this just turns black after about 15minutes and stays this way. One test out of 5 it did turn a reddish color!
All tests the water turned a reddish gold.

I would like some help in adjusting this so it actually collects the Gold on the Stainless Steel Anode.
I found Citric Acid as the Electrolyte on a site, it's the least toxic Acid I came across so I figured I would try this.

What do I need to adjust? Everything?
Is Citric Acid not a strong enough acid to use?
Do I have to be able to Adjust my Voltage down, or my amperage up?
Should I be using something larger for a container like a 5 Gallon bucket?

I don't want suggestions on trying a completely different method, I would like to get this method to work, I can make adjustments.
I just don't want to waist time on trial and error if some one has a proven formula for this method that already works.

Also this is my first post here so if there is a better spot for me to post this please let me know that as well.

Thank you.

Nordis


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## martyn111

Try the sulphuric stripping cell, there is a video on lasersteves website showing the set up and use.
This is a well discussed method on the forum, the result isn't gold plated onto stainless steel, you will get a black powder at the bottom of your cell which is the gold. Unfortunately, you say in your post that you don't want to get a collodial gold in water that you have to heat to recover after, so, although I know this method will work and work well (in seconds rather than 30 to 90 minutes), you will be left with another process after the electrolsis to collect your gold and then refine it.


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## supercharged04

Beat me to it. You Also read hokes book.


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## nordis2010

Thanks for the responses.

However I'm not looking to make the gold a colloidal solution. 
That doesn't help me, and boiling sulfuric acid is not something I consider a home project. 

Besides the only way to reclaim the gold after would be with Aqua Regia,
and that's not something I want to do at my house. I would just do the Aqua Regia and skip the Electrolysis altogether if I 
wanted to do that.

So I would rather take the extra time and just get the Gold to transfer to the Anode, or to the Cathode even if it takes some other impurities with it. 

I know it's possible because I've seen people complain about it happening when they are trying to obtain a colloidal mix.
Guess I will search other locations to see if some one else has a proven method.

Thanks again,
Nordis


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## NobleMetalWorks

Just a question, you connected the battery charger directly to the CPU?

I could be wrong but... On the CPU, each gold pin is independent from all the others. You would have to have each pin come into contact with the anode either directly or by association. It sounds like you are trying to use the CPU as it's own anode, is that right or did I read what you said wrong? I am assuming chips means CPU? Or are you talking about something totally different?

Also, I am not sure about the times but I believe the reason why most people don't use Citrus Acid is because it takes longer to strip, here I might also be wrong but I believe that's the case. You may not have left it alone for a long enough period of time for it to even strip what was directly connected to the battery charger.

Just another note, you don't ever want the anode or cathode to touch, ever. If you are connecting the chargers cable directly to what you are trying to strip, it sounds like it could have the potential of touching the anode to the cathode, which could cause you problems, sparks, fire, etc. It would also complete and close the circuit bypassing the electrolyte solution.

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong...


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## martyn111

nordis2010 said:


> boiling sulfuric acid is not something I consider a home project.
> 
> Besides the only way to reclaim the gold after would be with Aqua Regia,
> 
> 
> I would just do the Aqua Regia and skip the Electrolysis altogether if I
> wanted to do that.


Not wanting to argue with you, but, to clarify what you have written for the benefit of other new comers reading this thread in the future :-

Boiling sulphuric acid wasn't mentioned, as I said if you take a look at lazersteves website it explains the full process.

AR isn't the only way to reclaim the gold, most on here use the hydrochloric acid / sodium hypochlorate (bleach) method, again explained numerous times on the forums. (HCl / bleach method)

Going direct to AR is not recommended (AR is a refining process), recovery and refining are considered two seperate processes, the cell recovers the gold (removing base metals from values) and refining is dissolving the values and precipitating to purify them.

Edited for clarity


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## Geo

this thread is all over the place.

Nordis2010, if you didn't get the information you have from here then its probably inaccurate. first of all, reverse electroplating (electrolysis) only works on gold plate over a base metal.this will not work on printed circuit boards (at least for the beginner) it takes modified equipment and is hard to master. a better method for reclaiming gold from PCB's is the AP method. many members are able to do this inside their apartment or house with the right equipment and study on the process, safely and without problems.most fiber CPU's can be stripped of their pins and the pins run through a stripping cell. ceramic CPU's should be processed with the AR method.

the members on the forum can only advise you as to what you should do, its up to you whether or not to listen and heed their advice. i would advise you to read C.M.Hokes book "refining precious metal waste" and study the forum because almost all new members have the same question as you do and have all been answered the same way.

good luck.


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## nordis2010

I'm going to try to answer all of your responses accurately.

To: SBrown, I have connected a positive terminal on to a CPU directly. Making sure i had contact with some metal, I did this with a couple of different types of CPUs. 
This does remove the gold plating from the pins. As well as the bottom plated coating of the CPU itself. I had 3 issues with this.
1. It took a long time. I think this is because of such a low amperage. I have another battery charger around I can try and get back to you with the results of that.
2. I didn't want to have a colloidal solution to have to treat after, but that's what I ended up with.
3. I don't know if all the stuff in the water is now the gold, or if the gold is also mixed in with the black residue that is left on the anode!
Also yes touching the Cathode and Anode would be bad, it's a small area of solution I know, but I'm using strips that are tapered to the side "they never touch each other". I will use something larger if I get results and continue this.

Anyway that was just not a quick enough process for me but I will play around with it some more. I think your correct in that Citric Acid may not be strong enough to obtain the desired results, at least not in a timely manor.

To: Martyn, I did appreciate your response.
I had a hard time viewing Laser Steve's video. In I.E. it just kept buffering, in Firefox it did nothing, and I have the Media player plug in.
So what I did was a few searches regarding "sulphuric stripping cell" even on this forum, most of which state you have to boil down the "battery acid/ sulfuric acid" to get rid of the water.
Most sites state this is a required step or you will not get the intended results. That is where I came up with having to boil sulphuric acid.
Here is a link to a post regarding this topic on this forum. http://www.goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=3310 

To: Geo,
Thank you for your response. Don't know yet what the AP method is but I will look into it. 
I'm not sure why every one is on the defensive regarding my response to the replies to my post.
Just trying to weed out what will work for me, and looking for some assistance. 

Thanks again.
Nordis,


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## NobleMetalWorks

Interesting about directly attaching to the CPU to make it it's own anode. I am too chicken to try it however, the fact that most HHO cells will give off Hydrogen gas as a by product, and that Hydrogen is flammable when mixed with Oxygen keeps me from attempting any experiments with an HHO cell. The potential for disaster is too high.

Citrus Acid is a cleaner way, so to speak, of stripping gold plate, however you are still producing small amounts of Hydrogen gas.

Depending on what electrolytic solution you do decide on, they all give off some kind of by product gas. For example, if you used baking soda (don't use baking soda, just using it as an example) it will produce Hydrogen, CO2, but also enough CO to be lethal, and baking soda seems fairly harmless, we all probably have it in our cabinets and cook with it. 

If you used Acetic Acid you would give off Ethane gas I believe, and CO2 again. Ethane is another flammable gas.

I am only using these as examples of things you can find at home, that are seemingly innocent until you put them into a Cell. If you stop and think about all the accumulated knowledge on this forum, all the years and years and years of experience, you might begin to understand why people are telling you to do it a specific way, and not the way you are attempting. If you are new to this type of thing, yet intelligent, mechanically inclined, an avid reader and confident in your ability to be able to learn and do anything, then you are at a disadvantage just like myself and many other people who join this forum to learn and discuss these topics. It is hard to put your ego away, and swallow your pride and listen to what other people have to say. Someone who comes into this totally devoid of any prior knowledge may do better just simply because they have to. Try to think about it in those terms, right now, considering that you have very little experience, you must listen to what other people are telling you. You really don't have a choice. You are not going to think of a better way to do any of this until you have done some of it. In the long run, running your cell with acids may actually be safer. I try to think of it like this, with acids I am super ultra careful because I do not want to make a mistake, break something, etc. With something I felt more comfortable with, I probably would not be as careful with. Acids actually help to make me a much more careful person.

And if you haven't read Hoke, you might want to. I know everyone here pushes and shoves Hoke, but honestly, it's the best book to read when you are just starting. I will even sell you a copy if you need one.

Oh and by the way, I am not actually suggesting anyone perform any chemistry experiments based on anything I have said. I am not even a novice chemist, let alone anyone who should be suggesting any type of chemistry experiment. So please, refer to a book with the right information, or someone with experience before attempting anything I mentioned in this post. The experiments I am attempting are all straight out of a chemistry book to help teach a beginning chemist basic chemistry.


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## Geo

nordis2010, that post is a few years old. information and techniques change over time, well some do and some are still in use thousands of years later. you would boil battery acid to evaporate the water and concentrate the acid to at least 96% (suitable for a stripping cell). but you can buy this as drain opener right off the shelf at most hardware stores. its in a plastic jug, inside a plastic bag. liquid lightning is one brand name, there are others.it can be used indoors with ventilation (an open window with a fan blowing out). it is dangerous and very corrosive, the stripping cell gets hot after some time and thats when its very dangerous, so if you do this be sure to have a secure space with no children or pets to disturb you or cause a spill. hydrogen gas is generated but it takes a heavy concentration to be explosive, hence the ventilation.


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## Harold_V

nordis2010 said:


> I'm not sure why every one is on the defensive regarding my response to the replies to my post.
> Just trying to weed out what will work for me, and looking for some assistance.


Most likely because we, here, tend to not reinvent the wheel, which we find to be sufficiently round. In essence, we stick with things that are known to work and yield the desired results. You can pretty much expect that if you propose methods that are troublesome that you're not going to be favorably received. We try to NOT promote less than acceptable methods, in fact. 

Understand that there's a saying about staying out of the kitchen if you can't stand the heat. In refining, you're going to be exposed to certain chemicals and conditions, like it or not. There are no shortcuts---there are no magic bullets. If you hope to be successful, pay attention to known processes and lose the notion that you're going to revolutionize refining. Brilliant minds have gone before us, yet we are still pretty much processing today as we always have. 

Be enlightened. Read Hoke. 

Welcome to the forum.

Harold


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## nordis2010

Yea the hydrogen that gets produced on these cells that I have been experimenting with is so minimal there really isn't anything to explode.
If the cell were larger you may have enough hydrogen for it to be a concern, but this cell I have is tiny.
I've put a small amount of flame across the top to check, not even a pop. 

This week I will try the sulphuric acid cell in my garage with a larger surface area then the cell I'm currently experimenting with.

Also setting up a small forge with a crucible, to try some additional experiments.


Thanks Geo for letting me know what to look for regarding the higher % acid. 

Nordis,


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