# Gold is where you find it . . . so is art.



## cosmetal (Oct 20, 2017)

Greetings, all!

Slow day on the GRF board so I thought I would post some pics I took recently with my new toy . . . a digital microscope.

Cheers!  
James


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## kernels (Oct 20, 2017)

Nice, that is great clarity at that magnification!


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## silversaddle1 (Oct 21, 2017)

James, great photos. Could you please tell us what we are looking at?


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## cosmetal (Oct 21, 2017)

silversaddle1 said:


> James, great photos. Could you please tell us what we are looking at?



Silver,

From my very first burn of 630.89 grams of ram chips (DIP and BGA types).

I burned too hot (venturi throttle wide open) and too fast (30 mins.) and had the chips piled up too much so I ended up with an incomplete incineration.

So I pulverized by hand as best I could and sieved everything. These are the heavies from my +12 screen.


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## cosmetal (Oct 21, 2017)

silversaddle1 said:


> James, great photos. Could you please tell us what we are looking at?



Still new to the ewaste gold recovery field, so I'll try my best at individual identification. Perhaps the more experienced can help?

Modern Art 1a (left to right):
Copper bonding wire
Gold over nickel plate copper pad and wire (?)
Piece of silicon die

Modern Art 2a (left to right):
Unknown (nickel? tin? lead?)
Gold over nickel plate copper pad and wire (?)
Unknown (nickel? tin? lead?)

Modern Art 3a (left to right):
Gold over nickel plate pad (?)
Unknown (nickel? tin? lead?)
Copper

Modern Art 4a (left to right):
Gold over nickel plate pad and wire (?)
Unknown (nickel? tin? lead?)

Modern Art 5a (left to right):
Gold over nickel plate pad (?)
Gold over nickel plate pad and wire (?)
Unknown (nickel? with gold or copper trace?)
Kovar (Alloy 42) wire
Unknown (nickel? with gold or copper trace?)

I have found solid gold bonding wires, but in a much finer screen size. I don't have any pics as I took all my screen sizes and ground everything in my sophisticated grinding apparatus (a coffee bean grinder liberated from my wife’s kitchen :shock. She doesn't like coffee anymore, so I think I'm OK :? 

All that is left is +100 and -100 screen material - still playing with it all.  

James


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## cosmetal (Oct 21, 2017)

kernels said:


> Nice, that is great clarity at that magnification!


Thank you! 

It helps to have a good stand.

James


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## IdahoMole (Oct 21, 2017)

I'd be interested in hearing more about the digital microscope. What model? Do you view the picture on a laptop or tablet? Cost? Etc. The color and clarity is much nicer that the one I am using.


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## cosmetal (Oct 22, 2017)

IdahoMole said:


> I'd be interested in hearing more about the digital microscope. What model? Do you view the picture on a laptop or tablet? Cost? Etc. The color and clarity is much nicer that the one I am using.


Idaho,

I am using a Plugable 250X USB Microscope http://plugable.com/products/usb2-micro-250x/ 

I don't use the stand that came with it, but, instead, I bought a Aven 26700-312-LED 3D Stand with LED for Digital Microscope http://www.aventools.com/product/3d-stand-with-led-for-digital-microscopes-and-cameras/ To me, it was worth the extra $ to get the articulated arm, heavy black stand and the extra LED light.

I attach the camera to my laptop and use the camera's software to set-up the shot and adjustment. I shoot through the computer and software (you can also shoot by touching the camera) so as to not move the assembled shot.

You can also use the camera in the wild via a smartphone.

Lighting is very important.

James


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