# help with method.....



## trianta (Mar 23, 2015)

hello all iam new to the forum and i need your help...i have gathered some cellphone boards(and pc boards) and i have the chemical to extract the cold, but then i saw that some boards are all full plated gold and they have this green paste on top of them...(i saw some videos how to remove it) but now (after reading some articles on the forum) i have some questions....

1) does the chemical solution dicolves the cold under the green paste too?
if not
2) can i ball mill the boards without incinagrate them first to make them a powder?(this is a different method)

3) if i take this powder...can i put it directly to the chemicals or i must blue bowl them first? 

thx


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## JHS (Mar 23, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP2_l7SnyVo
The same will work for your boards.


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## jeneje (Mar 23, 2015)

trianta said:


> hello all iam new to the forum and i need your help...i have gathered some cellphone boards(and pc boards) and i have the chemical to extract the cold, but then i saw that some boards are all full plated gold and they have this green paste on top of them...(i saw some videos how to remove it) but now (after reading some articles on the forum) i have some questions....
> 
> 1) does the chemical solution dicolves the cold under the green paste too?
> if not
> ...


You have know idea what you are talking about. You need to stop what you are doing, get a copy of C M Hoke book, research the forum. There are plenty of threads here about how to recover and refine cell phone boards. 

If you incarcerate PCB's you need an after burner to burn the toxic smoke. I suggest you study the dangers as well as the rewards before you get hurt. Youtube videos should be watched with a grain of salt. Then questioned to learn all the things not shown.

Ken


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## maynman1751 (Mar 23, 2015)

Here we do not encourage incineration of entire boards. Too many toxic gases are emitted. If you soak the boards in warm water with NaOH (lye) it will remove the green solder mask. Check the boards periodically to see if the mask is coming loose. Don't leave the boards in any longer than necessary. When they are ready the mask should just rub off. Caution: NaOH is a very dangerous and unforgiving chemical. Use proper safety gear.
Also do as Jeneje said and study the forum before taking on any of these hazardous procedures. Refer to the blue references under my signature line!!!!!


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## MarcoP (Mar 23, 2015)

The plating found under the solder mask (your green paste) is so thin that recovery doesn't pay off, unlike plating found in contact points.

Before you go any further with your process, less you know about it and more will be your loss, in values and in health. Stop by the forums and let curiosity prevale.

In the case you want to proceed:
1) No, you need to remove the solder mask first.
2) Do not incinerate the boards. Depopulate the boards and go from there.

Could you give more details on how you wanted to process your feedstock?


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## trianta (Apr 16, 2015)

thank you for your awnsers...
yes first i depopulate the boards and now as an expirement i manage to remove the green paste as it was suggested (with lye) the most of the cellphones had copper under the green paste exsept 2 that they were full gold (they were nokia i dont remeber the model)
what i was assking was if ther is a another way....i would like to explain step by step what i mean...
1) take the boards and depopulate them...
2) break them into smaller pieces
3)throgh them to a mill...
4)repeat 3 untill powder...
5) with a magnet remove metals that you dont want...
6)now you have in the powder plastic (the boads) metals (that are not magnetic)
7) put powder to chemicals to take only the metals (agua regia)

this is what iam asking is it posible has anyone done it??? if its not why?? thank you


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## gold4mike (Apr 16, 2015)

The plastic and fiberglass powder will absorb and hold a lot of chemicals and thus some of your gold. Most of the dissolved metal will not be gold so, when you filter (if you can) the liquid you have will be a very dirty solution which will make recovery difficult.


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## MarcoP (Apr 16, 2015)

Hi again, have you downloaded, read and understood C. M. Hoke? Have you read about security and read forum topics about hundreds of related discussions?

By also reading one of the new users posts you will get an idea on what to do to recover your first grain of gold.

Be safe
Marco


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## bswartzwelder (Apr 16, 2015)

If you don't do what the other members have advised, YOU WILL LOSE SOME GOLD! Stop and read Hoke's book and the forum. EVERY question you have asked, has been asked and answered countless times before. Study the safety section. One drop of NaOH in your eyes can cause permanent blindness. You need to know what you'll be dealing with and how to deal with it safely. That's why you won't get all the answers here. The burden is on you to learn the processes.

By the way, forget the idea of ball milling circuit boards. IT PLAIN ISN'T NEEDED. Once you have studied enough, we'll be happy to answer your questions.


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## acpeacemaker (Apr 16, 2015)

> 1) take the boards and depopulate them...
> 2) break them into smaller pieces
> 3)throgh them to a mill...
> 4)repeat 3 untill powder...



You are taking a high risk of contaminating your workspace and air with hazardous dust. A lot of these components can have a makeup that can harm you. Let alone milling it down to a fine powder.


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## glorycloud (Apr 21, 2015)

But it's gold!!!!! (Famous last words!!)


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## patnor1011 (Apr 21, 2015)

And why would you mill depopulated board?
What is the purpose of it?

If you want that tiny bit of gold flash plated on board itself why dont you just use AP?
Toss them in AP bucket and forget about them for a month or so. Then come back and collect fine dust from bottom, there would not be much of foils but whatever plating was on them will be on the bottom of your bucket.


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