# Thoughts on my "Witch's Brew"



## wsp_duke (Aug 19, 2009)

This was an AR extraction of 14 RAM cards. After all washes, rinses and fiterings, I have ~2L of solution. I just ran a sample on the ICP and here are the results:

Ag - 4.0 ppm
Al - 0.83 ppm
As - 0.16 ppm
Au - 14.8 ppm
B - 0.42 ppm
Ba - 3.75 ppm
Ca - 1.78 ppm
Ce - 0.13 ppm
Co - 0.21 ppm
Cu - 540 ppm
Fe - 13.5 ppm
Ge - 0.42 ppm
Hf - 0.16 ppm
Ir - 444 ppm
Mg - 0.30 ppm
Mn - 0.68 ppm
Na - 0.36 ppm
Nb - 0.20 ppm
Ni - 174 ppm
P - 15.2 ppm
Pb - 199 ppm
Pd - 0.40 ppm
Pt - 0.09 ppm
Si - 0.38 ppm
Sn - 763 ppm
Te - 0.29 ppm
Ti - 2.62 ppm
Zn - 4.55 ppm
Zr - 0.15 ppm

I am only reporting findings above 0.1 ppm except for Platinum.

Thoughts? Is this a "normal" ratio of metals???


----------



## Platdigger (Aug 19, 2009)

Looks good. 
Is this ICP an AA machine?
Is it yours?
Welcome to the forum..... 8)


----------



## Platdigger (Aug 19, 2009)

What would you say the solution weighs? About 2 kilos?


----------



## jimdoc (Aug 19, 2009)

Is the Ir supposed to be In?
That seems high.
Jim


----------



## Platdigger (Aug 19, 2009)

Yes, the iridium is way off.
The gold seems low.
Was there any brown or black powder in any of the wash, filterings?


----------



## jimdoc (Aug 19, 2009)

Also what type of RAM chips were they, older ones or newer?


----------



## wsp_duke (Aug 19, 2009)

Yes, ICP/AA. Not mine personally, it is the one we use at work.

These were 14 relatively new RAM Cards, no more than 5 years max I would say.

Nope, that is the Ir number, only got trace levels of In.

Not sure how much the solution weighs. I will find out when I transfer to a beaker for the Urea.


----------



## EDI Refining (Aug 19, 2009)

Results look on the low side. 
Was the sample milled ? How long was the sample in AR for ? Was it done under boil ?


----------



## wsp_duke (Aug 19, 2009)

Peter.H said:


> Results look on the low side.
> Was the sample milled ? How long was the sample in AR for ? Was it done under boil ?



Not milled. Depopulated(mostly), broken in half, and placed in AR bath at room temperature. 4 days in bath with regular agitation.


----------



## wsp_duke (Aug 19, 2009)

Also, I ran the ICP samples in duplicate. Ir had 2 runs: 443.240 ppm and 445.330 ppm. I was a little shocked at this too. I got traces of MANY things.

I am interested in not only the PMs, but in any of the metals I can extract. Even if only to a purified solution, ie not bullion.


----------



## Platdigger (Aug 19, 2009)

It is hard to imagine that much Ir.

I would think you are getting a false reading somehow.
That would be something like .4 grams per 14 sticks of ram........
Plus, from what I understand, iridium is hard to get into even boiling AR.


----------



## markqf1 (Aug 19, 2009)

You must have had meteorite material in the mix. :lol: 
Randy, is dead on.
Check your standards.

Mark


----------



## wsp_duke (Aug 20, 2009)

OK, I am going to look at the Ir issue more later. That being said, would this cause any issues with me pulling out the Au??? I can refilter and process the rest later. I can then rerun a sample on the ICP. This is only a test run for me, small managable amounts, easily quntified. Once I can get a decent method written up, I am going to scale up a little. I also need to do more research on precip order and methods for the remaining metals. Thoughts? Tips?


----------



## 4metals (Aug 20, 2009)

I would go low tech on this solution and cement out the precious metals using copper buss bar, then collect the mixed precipitates in a filter and hold them. Since you have an ICP you can then check how effectively the cementation process worked on the solution to which you added the copper. If all precious metals are dropped you have an easy way to concentrate them. Later you can redissolve your precips and take out metals selectively when there are enough to see when they drop.


----------



## markqf1 (Aug 20, 2009)

IF you have denoxed your solution properly, you should be able to drop most of the gold with smb.
But expect it to be very dirty and hard to filter.

Take 4 metals advice and cement it out (I like zinc).

You can then get a more accurate reading from the icp.

Mark


----------



## Harold_V (Aug 21, 2009)

markqf1 said:


> IF you have denoxed your solution properly, you should be able to drop most of the gold with smb.
> But expect it to be very dirty and hard to filter.
> 
> Take 4 metals advice and cement it out (I like zinc).



Not in this case. Copper would be the metal of choice. It would leave behind all the unwanted base metals. 

Harold


----------



## markqf1 (Aug 21, 2009)

Thanks Harold,
I stand corrected.
Even though it will have to be re-refined, you might as well get as much junk out of it as possible on the first pass before another icp is performed, ... obviously 4metals' intention.

Mark


----------



## Harold_V (Aug 22, 2009)

markqf1 said:


> Even though it will have to be re-refined, you might as well get as much junk out of it as possible on the first pass before another icp is performed, ... obviously 4metals' intention.


That would certainly be my take on the subject. He's very knowledgeable.

Harold


----------



## Lou (Aug 22, 2009)

There is something wrong with the ICP. I can see no reason why this solution should have iridium.

Copper cementation is the best bet. Then rinse with DI water, then put it all into aqua regia.


----------



## wsp_duke (Aug 26, 2009)

OK, I do want to cement out the PMs, but I dont want to lose anything else, I am interested in ALL of the metals contained in the solution. Where can I find a good description of this method???


----------



## jimdoc (Aug 26, 2009)

I understand that you are in testing phase right now, but I think the small amounts of metals from just 14 memory sticks will be a very small amount. The ICP helps, but getting the actual metal from such a small amount may be difficult. Scaling up a bit may make things easier. The experts may have a way to help you out, but if it were
me I would scale up to a larger batch to make things easier.
Jim


----------



## 4metals (Aug 26, 2009)

A post in the Safety section called Dealing with waste details dropping the PGM's with copper followed by base metals with iron. Then the iron drops with caustic at a pH of 3 to 3.5.

That will drop all of your metals into a potpourri of base metals in one drop and precious metals from the first drop. Separation from there can follow many different pathways depending on the dominant species. I agree with Jimdoc, wait until you've collected enough to actually see when you drop it before separating the metals.


----------



## wsp_duke (Aug 28, 2009)

I want to still process this batch, despite the low yeild. I just want to make sure I have a valid and working method to apply to my scaled up batches, which I am gathering at full speed. Also, since I am going to scale up, and since segregation of all the metals is my ultimate goal, I am going to mechanically seperate as much material as I can before processing. I am concentrating the gold(fingers, CPUs), copper(motors, coils, boards), I am also collecting a bag of Monolithic Caps. All before processing. Are there any other groups of items that I can more easily process later by segregating physically now? Obviously I am using a magnet to seperate as much of the ferrous matter as I can, but will this cause me to "lose" anything of value?


----------



## 4metals (Aug 28, 2009)

Standard refining techniques used in metals recovery discussed on this site will theoretically allow you to separate and drop the metals in the concentrations you posted but the reality of it is precipitating metals in quantities amounting to milligrams is futile. In my humble opinion your only option is to digest enough material to quantify on something other than an analytical balance.


----------

