# Incinerating ICs with a foundry



## DJPGold (Jul 31, 2021)

I’ve got many KGs of IC chips from different sources. I would like to burn them all and grind them before I process them. Could I load them into an 8kg crucible and put them in a foundry until they’re white?


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## lanfear (Jul 31, 2021)

Yes, but you should supply it with oxygen.
https://youtu.be/-LgefE-UY7o


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## kurtak (Aug 1, 2021)

DJPGold said:


> Could I load them into an 8kg crucible and put them in a foundry until they’re white?



Per the underlined - what you are actually asking is if you can put them in a "furnace" --- not in a foundry

A foundry is a complete factory were they do smelting, melting & casting of metals - in other words everything from the front office to the finished product being shipped out of the "factory" --- it includes the raw materials coming in - the people working there, the land the factory is built on, "all" the tools & equipment for production of their product(s) & the final product(s) going out 

A furnace is just one piece of equipment in the foundry

so - with all that said - yes - you can use your "furnace" for incinerating your IC chips which is how I do it

I am not being nit picky here - its just that using the right words when doing searches for information will get you better search results for the info you are looking for --- "foundry" will get you only a few results - "furnace" will get you LOTS of results

here are some pics of my set up (read both post)

:arrow: Pyrolysis reactor

In fact - using a furnace to incinerate IC chips is the safest & proper way to do it

I posted about that here

:arrow: Separating all metals from carbon and organics

and here

:arrow: What about beryllium in IC chips

Kurt


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## DJPGold (Aug 2, 2021)

Ah yeah you’re right, cheers Kurt ya picky prick   now I want to know where I picked up the incorrect terminology. I always used to refer to it as a forge. Doesn’t help that the company I purchased it from is named Devil Forge. Although it’s different to a regular charcoal forge etc for blacksmithing I suppose you could still use it for forging. 
Thanks for the knowledge.


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## orvi (Nov 25, 2021)

from my perspective, crucible is easy to use, but pyrolysis step would take much longer (it must heat up first) and proper oxidation of carbon inside would take relatively long time. maybe put air to the bottom of it, i saw it recently in some YT video.
lot of assaying (ICs, cut PCBs with electrolytic caps removed) is done by wrapping the material into stainless steel mesh and heating above 600 °C - maintaining airflow in the oven for few hours, which throughly burns the carbon residues.
you ca also place the ICs in stainless steel frying sieve (or any other well-perforated stainless steel dish) and bake it in classic propane fueled foundry - but you need to supply air from the bottom or add second stage on top with air supply (perhaps compressor), where all volatile carbon junk, ashes and gases will burn properly, so no smoke or smell is produced. burning off the plastic in wood fire as seen in many YT videos is big health hazard as many toxic aromatic compounds volatilize. if you see black fumes or smell, you dont have complete burning. use higher temperature or more air.


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## Harold_V (Nov 25, 2021)

DJPGold said:


> and put them in a foundry until they’re white?


One does NOT put them in a foundry. A foundry is the place where castings are poured. Within a foundry one would find a (melting) ***FURNACE*** in which a crucible may be placed. 

Please accept this correction in the spirit in which it is offered. I am not trying to belittle you, just trying to attempt to stop the use of improper terminology.

The next question I have for myself is why I'm even responding? I generally don't show up here. 

Harold


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## galenrog (Nov 27, 2021)

Both Harold and Kurtak are correct. A furnace is not a foundry. Understanding and using correct terms is important in forums such as this that are international in scope, with members having to translate to and from their native language. 

As to the ICs, I am NOT the guy to talk to or give advice. All the electronics I get are moved on toward industrial recyclers.

Time for more coffee.


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