# PCI fingers vs. PCI slots



## ctgresale (Nov 27, 2011)

Does anyone know the amount of gold in 1-PCI finger verses 1- group of pin from a PCI slot off the motherboard ? I wasn't sure if there was an easy way to make a ratio comparison of the two, i.e. 1 PCI board equals the same amount of gold as "X" PCI slot connectors from a motherboard. Was trying to figure out if it take about 15lbs of fingers to equal a troy oz of gold, then how many PCI slot connectors would it take to equal that same troy oz. Thanks in advance

Steve


----------



## Smack (Nov 28, 2011)

I did 18lbs of low grade pins like those pci slot pins and got just under 15g. of gold. That's just the pins, not any plastic in the weight.


----------



## ctgresale (Nov 28, 2011)

Any idea how many connectors it took to make 1 lb of low grade pins ? That might be the last unknown


----------



## Geo (Nov 28, 2011)

depends on the slot really.15 pounds of close cut fingers that are plated on both sides should return 1 ozt gold.with that reasoning if the pci slot is double sided and the area of gold is roughly the same as the matching pad on the finger then it should take approximately the same number pins as there are pads on the fingers.if you could use the same slots that the fingers came from i would say i could be equal numbers.the exact same slots for the exact same fingers.i know this isnt very scientific but its the best i can come up with.you will have to weigh the pins to get a weight for measurements.IF the area of gold is equal to the gold on the pad.


----------



## Smack (Nov 28, 2011)

Not sure how many. It was a bunch though 3 to 4 hundred maybe, just guessing. I had ribbon cable pins, isa, eisa, pci and some printer cable type pins in the mix. Took a long time to pull all those pins.


----------



## Marcel (Feb 26, 2012)

I did have some material tested a few months ago at the labatory of the largest german refiner, the Allgemeine. http://www.allgemeine-gold.de/homepage_en.html

This is the labatory result f or PCI connector pins/similiar low-grade pins:



In brief: PCI connector pins and similiar material:* 0,1% Au, 01,% Pd, 87% Cu *
( I suppose the remaing few % is tin and or silver, which was not tested for.)
Btw: LP-Abschnitte = PCI cardboard Fingers cut.
and I have to add, that thus they state a 5,2g/ Kg yield with my PCI cuts, I managed to get 10g/Kg out of my material. Raw and unrefined of course, but if that is the "safety margin" of the refiners let´s say: 
Au and Pd is each up to 0,2% or 2g/Kg or 1g/lbs which comes close to the statements that were made here.


----------



## Claudie (Feb 26, 2012)

If I have done my math correctly, 50 grams of pins should yield roughly $2.80US worth of real Gold. 
E-Bay Gold is bringing $30.00US plus shipping charges: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&hash=item3a710b54da&item=251004671194&nma=true&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&rt=nc&si=N2eSGFEDIoqqRqoIGK6vhJz%252BEQs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc :shock:

EDIT: Part of that unknown, remaining percent would likely be Nickel wouldn't it?


----------



## Geo (Feb 27, 2012)

i was thinking nickle too. its the barrier between the copper and the gold.

i cant understand why there would be Pd in pins, does that sound right?


----------



## lazersteve (Feb 27, 2012)

Some of the headers and slots have pins that are white/gray colored, sometimes these have Pd coatings instead of Gold. Also contacts inside of relays have Palladium and Palladium alloy points in some cases.

Steve


----------



## Marcel (Feb 28, 2012)

1.) There were USB connector pins included, which contained Pd instead of Au. (from AMP)
2.) phospor-bronze alloy is very popular with pins. Don´t know if that contains nickel as well.
3.) I have researched prices on ebay vs. the "realistic value" of such components like memory RAM, CPUs and pins.
Going after some of these buyers and checking their buying behaviour, I came to the conclusion that some of them simply buy material, maybe blend it all together and have it processed elsewhere, so they may not even notice, that they overpaid the material.
I think it is a popular business for some: Buy PM containing material, collect it and then hope for a good return. 
That drives prices up in a rediculous way, but we are free to resell stuff to feed these hungry mouths. :lol: 
I suppose, many of these buyers are not experts on PC technology, they may just have some "play money" on their hand and try to double it in short time.
As for me, I avoid the terms "scrapgold" etc in an auction, since I barely could get a decent deal lately.


----------



## nightmare_online (Mar 7, 2012)

Hi,

ich hab grad dein Bild der Analyse hier gesehen, ich bin auch in dem Thema interessiert,

Wie kommt denn der LED? (ist es das was ich denke?) Wert zustande?

Grüße, Stefan

--------
hi,

I'm your degree picture of the analysis one, I'm interested in the topic

How then does the light on? (that's what I think?) existence value?

Regards, Stefan


----------



## Marcel (Mar 29, 2012)

Hallo Stefan

These were unsoldered SMD LEDs in various sizes. The contact pads are gold plated as well as the the internal PCB, but unfortunatly that part is enclosed inside the plastic body of the LED.





As an example..
LEDs also contain Germanium, but that is leading us offtopic here.


----------



## rucito (Mar 29, 2012)

Marcel said:


> I did have some material tested a few months ago at the labatory of the largest german refiner, the Allgemeine. http://www.allgemeine-gold.de/homepage_en.html
> 
> This is the labatory result f or PCI connector pins/similiar low-grade pins:
> 
> ...



it is 0,1g/kg Au not 0,1%


----------

