# ATENTION AT GOLD PLATED BOARDS!



## mythen10 (Oct 7, 2022)

Big ATENTION when you buy gold plated boards becouse many are just flash plated with very very small amount of gold (you will need 10 kg of boards to get 0.5gr of gold), in general all HP new and vintage boards are gold plated but contain very small amount of gold in the pictures you will se that 4 pieces are cut from vintage HP boards and is just flash plated and that another 2 vintage boards are just flash plated, so big ATENTION when buy plated boards becouse is not worth to process them.


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## galenrog (Oct 7, 2022)

That topic has been discussed innumerable times on the forum.

Time for more coffee.


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## 4metals (Oct 7, 2022)

mythen10 said:


> Big ATENTION when you buy gold plated boards becouse many are just flash plated with very very small amount of gold (you will need 10 kg of boards to get 0.5gr of gold), in general all HP new and vintage boards are gold plated but contain very small amount of gold in the pictures you will se that 4 pieces are cut from vintage HP boards and is just flash plated and that another 2 vintage boards are just flash plated, so big ATENTION when buy plated boards becouse is not worth to process them.



Your numbers seem to be considerably less than the industry average for circuit board scrap. It is worth processing boards when set up properly. Posting lower numbers here may benefit you when buying but does little to inform sellers.


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## mythen10 (Oct 7, 2022)

4metals said:


> Your numbers seem to be considerably less than the industry average for circuit board scrap. It is worth processing boards when set up properly. Posting lower numbers here may benefit you when buying but does little to inform sellers.


this is the truth many gold plated beautiful shiny boards don't have enough gold to be worth precessing them , and second me I don't buy ewaste but this boards can be a really scam because are very gold shiny, first you must check the boards cutting off a plated corner and put in dilute Nitric if the foil come down like the fingers (in one piece or couple big pieces) is a good grade if come down in thousands of small (in general golden pink colour) pieces like in photos is low low grade and is not worth for process.
THIS BOARDS CAN BE A REALLY SCAM so ATENTION when buying.


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## mythen10 (Oct 7, 2022)

hhhh smells like bunny.


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## Yggdrasil (Oct 7, 2022)

mythen10 said:


> hhhh smells like bunny.


Since you are the only one supplying information here, it would be nice if you informed about what's smelling like bunny!


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## 4metals (Oct 7, 2022)

Your figures, half a gram per 10 kg, translates to $1.00 a pound in value. That is a gross understatement if you factor in other metals. True you could probably find 10 kg of low grade boards which yield that low, but a ton never is comprised of all material that is at the absolute bottom of the value list.


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## BlackLabel (Oct 7, 2022)

mythen10,
Did you collect the metal transistors from these boards? They should give you a better yield.


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## orvi (Oct 7, 2022)

mythen10 said:


> Big ATENTION when you buy gold plated boards becouse many are just flash plated with very very small amount of gold (you will need 10 kg of boards to get 0.5gr of gold), in general all HP new and vintage boards are gold plated but contain very small amount of gold in the pictures you will se that 4 pieces are cut from vintage HP boards and is just flash plated and that another 2 vintage boards are just flash plated, so big ATENTION when buy plated boards becouse is not worth to process them.


These boards does not look so terrible, altough little value I found by simple looking at pics. Plating should be tested with nitric drop test when buying - to distinguish ENIG from thick gold plating. Easy practice, discussed here numerous times. Plating is a nice bonus, you need to find the values inside the transistors, IC chips and other stuff.


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## mythen10 (Oct 7, 2022)

BlackLabel said:


> mythen10,
> Did you collect the metal transistors from these boards? They should give you a better yield.


I make reference strictly to empty plated boards


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## mythen10 (Oct 7, 2022)

orvi said:


> These boards does not look so terrible, altough little value I found by simple looking at pics. Plating should be tested with nitric drop test when buying - to distinguish ENIG from thick gold plating. Easy practice, discussed here numerous times. Plating is a nice bonus, you need to find the values inside the transistors, IC chips and other stuff.


I make reference strictly to plated boards


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## mythen10 (Oct 7, 2022)

mythen10 said:


> I make reference strictly to plated boards


EMPTY plated boards


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## mythen10 (Oct 7, 2022)

4metals said:


> Your figures, half a gram per 10 kg, translates to $1.00 a pound in value. That is a gross understatement if you factor in other metals. True you could probably find 10 kg of low grade boards which yield that low, but a ton never is comprised of all material that is at the absolute bottom of the value list.


I make reference strictly to empty boards with gold plated gold plated and is logik like 10 kg of empty plated boards to have just 0.5 gr of 24k gold , I give you just a example to make a comparation are a lot of type of FULL PLATED PINS (thick and thin) that contain maximum 0.5 gold per 1 kg , and with this comparation is all 
Right now I have some full plated pins from telecomunication connectors that contain only 0.5 24k gold per kg and the pins are full plated


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## BlackLabel (Oct 7, 2022)

mythen10 said:


> EMPTY plated boards


Understood, but did you collect the metal transistors/ICs?
I'm talking about the little metal caps.
On your second picture, there are a lot of them (mostly with a star-shaped heat sink).
On the third picture are a couple of them and a white ceramic IC with a gold plate.

The metal transistors often have gold plated legs. These are often gold plated inside. Good yield.


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## mythen10 (Oct 8, 2022)

BlackLabel said:


> Understood, but did you collect the metal transistors/ICs?
> I'm talking about the little metal caps.
> On your second picture, there are a lot of them (mostly with a star-shaped heat sink).
> On the third picture are a couple of them and a white ceramic IC with a gold plate.
> ...


yes


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## eaglekeeper (Oct 8, 2022)

mythen10 said:


> hhhh smells like bunny.



It might smell like bunny....., but it taste like chicken.


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## FrugalRefiner (Oct 8, 2022)

I prefer the bunny. Tasty little coneys. 

Dave


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## malphorian1973 (Oct 8, 2022)

I want to apologize for the previous post. I should not have posted it before I fact checked my information. This is what happens when I post from memory (which mine is very bad) and don't go back and read what I thought it was I was sure about. It won't happen again. Have a great day people.

edited


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## actionmanmelb (Oct 9, 2022)

Most of the items highlighted with red dots are carbon resistors and contain zero gold!


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## BlackLabel (Oct 9, 2022)

In my opinion, the parts I marked green should hold the values.


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## kurtak (Oct 9, 2022)

actionmanmelb said:


> Most of the items highlighted with red dots are *carbon resistors* *and contain zero gold!*


This is correct 


malphorian1973 said:


> This is actually a very nice little board. I have superimposed red dots on some of the *caps, and transistors.*


This is not correct - what you marked with red dots are *not* caps or transistors - they are carbon resistors & as actionmanmelb pointed out there is *zero* gold in them

What identifies them as resistors is the colored rings on the outside of the barrel/tube/body - the "coding" of the colored rings tells you the resistive value (ohms) of the resistor

There are 2 types of (barrel/tube) carbon resistors - *carbon film* where a thin film of carbon goes round the surface of a ceramic core/rod - like these ------------

Carbon Resistor - Definition, Parts, Uses and Applications 

Then there are the *carbon composition* type where the carbon is mixed in a matrix of ceramic clay that makes up the actual core/rod - like these -----------------






Carbon composition resistor - Definition, construction, advantages, disadvantages and applications


The carbon composition resistor is a type of fixed resistor that reduces or restricts the electric current flow to a certain level.




www.physics-and-radio-electronics.com





These are the one marked with red dots

No gold (or any precious metals) in ether type (film or composition) carbon resistor

Kurt


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## mythen10 (Oct 9, 2022)

all IC from boards and transistors contain gold and are good quality also are ceramic ic on boards but me I make reference strictly to empty plated board this kind of boards can be a really scam and is not worth to process them for gold contain 0 gold the gold plated fingers contain 100 time more gold than this boards


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## Christian333 (Oct 9, 2022)

kurtak said:


> This is correct
> 
> This is not correct - what you marked with red dots are *not* caps or transistors - they are carbon resistors & as actionmanmelb pointed out there is *zero* gold in them
> 
> ...





kurtak said:


> This is correct
> 
> This is not correct - what you marked with red dots are *not* caps or transistors - they are carbon resistors & as actionmanmelb pointed out there is *zero* gold in them
> 
> ...


Hi Kurt,
There is potential for gold plated end caps on all types of axial mount resistors. All the examples were found by myself and other members of GEO's Facebook group. 

Janie


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## BlackLabel (Oct 10, 2022)

Couldn't it be brass?


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## Martijn (Oct 10, 2022)

Mythen, english lesson: a scam is when you buy something that's supposed to have value when there is no value or way less than told. 

Life lesson: Most of us know about ENIG plating and have warned people not to get gold fever from seeing the shiny layer, only to get disappointed later when you can barely trace it in solution, let alone when precipitating. Nothing is there, or soooo little it's hard to see. 

Learning first hand about the real value of things (wether it be good or bad) is a very valuable lesson as you have experienced. 

Since you got those boards for free as I understood, there is no scam. 

If someone doesn't want to get scammed, don't buy anything you can see first to check for yourself. 

Martijn.


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## Martijn (Oct 10, 2022)

I've also seen (gold plating? Seen, not verified, will check again) inside those end caps. Not on the outside, no function there exept maybe the lack of technology to plate only the inside. 
But if the labor of getting that bit of gold out with the carbon in the equation, don't know if its worth the time. 
Best leave it for the big refiner's copper cell?

Martijn.


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## Yggdrasil (Oct 10, 2022)

Martijn said:


> Mythen, english lesson: a scam is when you buy something that's supposed to have value when there is no value or way less than told.
> 
> Life lesson: Most of us know about ENIG plating and have warned people not to get gold fever from seeing the shiny layer, only to get disappointed later when you can barely trace it in solution, let alone when precipitating. Nothing is there, or soooo little it's hard to see.
> 
> ...


I completely agree.
It's strange sometimes how some statements slip passed your eyes, definitely something I should have picked up.
I'll just blame it on my glasses


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## Yggdrasil (Oct 10, 2022)

Martijn said:


> I've also seen (gold plating? Seen, not verified, will check again) inside those end caps. Not on the outside, no function there exept maybe the lack of technology to plate only the inside.
> But if the labor of getting that bit of gold out with the carbon in the equation, don't know if its worth the time.
> Best leave it for the big refiner's copper cell?
> 
> Martijn.


I have also seen that, but considered it as brass.

Maybe I'll pick up a handful and test it. Sometime. Maybe...
Can't be much in there though.


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## mythen10 (Oct 10, 2022)

Martijn said:


> Mythen, english lesson: a scam is when you buy something that's supposed to have value when there is no value or way less than told.
> 
> Life lesson: Most of us know about ENIG plating and have warned people not to get gold fever from seeing the shiny layer, only to get disappointed later when you can barely trace it in solution, let alone when precipitating. Nothing is there, or soooo little it's hard to see.
> 
> ...


yes I get for free but in the past I was have another plated boards also for free and me I warn people becouse are many shiny plated boards wich have very small amount of gold and is not worth to process them becouse the time and price of reagents will be higher than value of plated gold and when you buy from internet this kind of boards it can be a really scam for everyone. OF COURSE ARE HEAVY PLATED BOARDS I was have couple of HEAVY plated but the gold don't was shiny was very yellow


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## Martijn (Oct 10, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> I completely agree.
> It's strange sometimes how some statements slip passed your eyes, definitely something I should have picked up.
> I'll just blame it on my glasses


I'm a safety and quality supervisor. I litterally trip over small discrepancies. My brain stalls until its cleared up.  
It's helpfull in the job, but can be quite irriatating in life. For me and others around me.


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## macfixer01 (Oct 17, 2022)

BlackLabel said:


> In my opinion, the parts I marked green should hold the values.
> View attachment 52518



Except you didn’t mark any of the IC”s, or the two TO-126 package transistors screwed to the board near the bottom end. They all potentially have value. And for what it’s worth (although exceedingly rare in my experience) some resistors have gold plated end caps hidden underneath the encasing material.

Now that I look at it again, there is also what looks like a green blob-type tantalum capacitor to the left of that empty circle on the board, just left of that heatsink’ed transistor that you marked in green. And just a bit further over to the left looks like a black plastic transistor? There may be others but it’s such a poor and dark photo.


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## BlackLabel (Oct 17, 2022)

Yes, I just marked the metal transistors/ICs.
The should hold the majority of values on this board (IF they're gold plated).
The regular ICs are known by all scrappers and each of the TO-126 do have two bond wires inside (and a lot base metal).

I doubt about the resistors end caps.
To gold plate them makes only sense for precision resistors below maybe 10 ohms.


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## macfixer01 (Oct 17, 2022)

mythen10 said:


> Big ATENTION when you buy gold plated boards becouse many are just flash plated with very very small amount of gold (you will need 10 kg of boards to get 0.5gr of gold), in general all HP new and vintage boards are gold plated but contain very small amount of gold in the pictures you will se that 4 pieces are cut from vintage HP boards and is just flash plated and that another 2 vintage boards are just flash plated, so big ATENTION when buy plated boards becouse is not worth to process them.




I’m sure I’ve probably mentioned it a few times here before but HP boards with gold plated traces will vary in quality, whenever they were made. On several occasions I’ve had identical boards with the same trace layout, same chips, and comparable dates, but possibly made by different subcontractors? On one you could peel the traces and they come off the board with the gold pretty much intact, but on the other board as you tried to peel a trace what little gold was there just flaked off as a fine dust. You’re left with the dark nickel plating underneath and a fine dusting of gold residue on it. It’s just done as a quick test of the plating quality. While I did peel traces when I first started out scrapping, that’s way too much work for nothing when the chemicals can do it instead.


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## Alondro (Oct 17, 2022)

macfixer01 said:


> I’m sure I’ve probably mentioned it a few times here before but HP boards with gold plated traces will vary in quality, whenever they were made. On several occasions I’ve had identical boards with the same trace layout, same chips, and comparable dates, but possibly made by different subcontractors? On one you could peel the traces and they come off the board with the gold pretty much intact, but on the other board as you tried to peel a trace what little gold was there just flaked off as a fine dust. You’re left with the dark nickel plating underneath and a fine dusting of gold residue on it. It’s just done as a quick test of the plating quality. While I did peel traces when I first started out scrapping, that’s way too much work for nothing when the chemicals can do it instead.


I have a bunch that are gold plating atop copper. Varying ages, but they all appear to be fairly good electroplating.


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## Mrdeeocean (Nov 16, 2022)

Nobody seems to care for the green and brown ceramic disk capacitors


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## Yggdrasil (Nov 16, 2022)

Mrdeeocean said:


> Nobody seems to care for the green and brown ceramic disk capacitors


Well, there should not much of value there. 
So it would probably cost more to process them, than the value of the Aluminum it will yield.


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