# Fingers and similar gold foil collection thus far



## hammerdown (Jun 7, 2020)

I've been adding to this collection of gold foils for a while now, with more to recover n add soon, and hopefully I'll be confident enough to process later this summer. I know it ain't much, but I hope this isn't too much to process at once.


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## Striker33 (Jun 7, 2020)

This looks like a jar where you guess how many of something are in there. It looks like a lot. Did any of it come from your thread where you asked about rf connectors? I’m curious if you processed those yet and the method for them.


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

Striker33 said:


> This looks like a jar where you guess how many of something are in there. It looks like a lot. Did any of it come from your thread where you asked about rf connectors? I’m curious if you processed those yet and the method for them.



Nope... no processing of those RF connectors for some time. At least, not until I find the best way and do the appropriate needed studying required. I only asked about those before in hopes for advice to add to my notes for that type of material. The pictures above is all from PCB fingers and some PCBs where I cut out the clean gold areas.


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## glorycloud (Jun 8, 2020)

Looks like it's time for some HCL and bleach. 8) 

Nice foils!!


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

glorycloud said:


> Looks like it's time for some HCL and bleach. 8)
> 
> Nice foils!!



Thanks! I hate that solder mask pieces made their way into the foils though. HCL + Bleach is the method I'm leaning towards using, although I'm wondering if perhaps AR might be better incase I didn't get ALL base metal contaminates that AP didn't capture.


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## glorycloud (Jun 8, 2020)

I have used Lasersteve's method of soaking the foils in HCL for years
and it seems to work well. I cover the foils with HCL, swirl it around
a few times and let it sit for ten minutes or so before I filter off the
HCL. I do this two or three times or until the HCL is a lighter color
(i.e. the impurities clinging to the foils have been removed).

Then, the AU foils are ready to be "dissolved" in the HCL and bleach
leaving all the green solder mask and other junk in the filter.


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## butcher (Jun 8, 2020)

The solder mask will not dissolve in the solution or cause any problems, you can dissolve any troublesome metals (tin and lead solder) in a wash of HCL prior to dissolving the foils.

The foils have very little other base metals or troublesome metals like tin involved, almost all of those have been removed with your mechanical separation and during your copper leaching process.


HCl and bleach will also dissolve the small number of involved base metals (copper and nickel) they will stay in solution as you precipitate the gold.( the foils have very little other base metals or troublesome metals like tin involved

The solution is easier to remove the oxidizing agents (chlorine and hypochlorites) with heat and or sunlight in order to be able to precipitate the gold, as opposed to nitric which is much more difficult to deal with in an aqua regia solution.

The foils with a large surface area dissolve easily in the solution, so there is no need for a big hammer like aqua regia to get the job done, removing the oxidizing agent is also so much easier to deal with to be able to precipitate the gold

HCl and bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is the easiest and the best way to go with foils.


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

Thanks Glory and Butcher!

Yeah that's just it... I've washed the foils in HCL a few times or more after recovery with each batch and then water rinse with distilled water, but I tend to still get greyish-black particle sediments mixed in (not much by volume mind you... just noticeable when decanting & filtering mostly), plus the HCL constantly turns yellow. I even left to soak overnight with same results. I've just tossed it up to the quality of HCL I have access too (Jasco Muriatic Acid ~30%) for the constant yellow and going with the hope that the sediment particles is perhaps gold from ENIG plated items I may not have been aware of that was ENIG mixed in. But, it's the uncertainty factor that there just might be some base metals that was just either too stubborn or my lack of doing something supposedly straight-forwardly-easy properly that causes me to wonder a bit.

And now that my batches have accumulated to this amount... I REALLY cringe at the thought of trying to attempt another HCL wash & rinse lol But the reason I've let it accumulate to this so-so amount is my feeling ready enough to attempt digestion, refining & dropping up to now(ish).

Thanks for the extra boost towards my intial wanting of going HCL+Cl. I've read where some say AR is a cleaner drop vs HCL+Cl, but also a bit more complicated than HCL+Cl as a process-in-whole just as you mentioned Butcher. Thankfully my area tends to be breezy often, and typically in one direction away from people, pets and structures. But that won't stop me from proper PPE. I've had my fair share of accidental HCL fumes up the nose enough to be very diligent about PPE... more so with me about to attempt more dangerous cocktails.


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

Also, I want to apologize. I posted this in the Gallery, which I know isn't intended for how-to's and instruction per se, while not expecting said how-to & instruction advice... but I thank you none the less for the replies & advice  My initial intention was to show what I've got in foils thus far with my intention of finally trying digestion as my next leap here soon.


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## FrugalRefiner (Jun 8, 2020)

Small amounts of base metals are not a problem when you dissolve and drop your gold. Most of them will stay in solution when you drop your gold, and any minor amounts that get dragged down can be eliminated with good washing techniques.

Since you haven't dissolved any gold yet, I'd suggest doing a sample first before you dive in the deep end.

I wouldn't say that AR will give a cleaner drop than HCl bleach. If anything it can be harder to eliminate excess nitric than excess Cl. Once all your metal has dissolved, heat the solution for a while or simply leave it overnight and any excess Cl should gas off.

Best of luck.

Dave


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## butcher (Jun 8, 2020)

The Gallery is a good place for this you just need to keep adding those pretty pictures of your gold, lets see the picture of the solution, the stannous testing, the precipitate, and washes, then the molten gold and the button.
When your ready of course we do not mean to rush you, we just love seeing pictures of the gold.


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Since you haven't dissolved any gold yet, I'd suggest doing a sample first before you dive in the deep end.



This picture of trimmed RAM fingers, plus some PCI fingers & clippings from various PCBs, will be my next batch that I'll start in a bubbler later this week after the rain comes-n-goes (no viable shelter to protect everything from the rain). Perhaps I'll use the foils from this to do my small test batch. I'm glad you suggested that because, after all this time waiting to feel ready... the itch was to dive off the deep end with that above lol.


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Once all your metal has dissolved, heat the solution for a while or simply leave it overnight and any excess Cl should gas off.



To drive off the excess Cl would require leaving the beaker open to the air... no covering or sealing, yes? How would you suggest, for one who doesn't have the ability for a fume hood yet, to minimize any possible airborne and/or organic contaminates from entering the solution while being left unattended overnight?


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

butcher said:


> The Gallery is a good place for this you just need to keep adding those pretty pictures of your gold, lets see the picture of the solution, the stannous testing, the precipitate, and washes, then the molten gold and the button.
> When your ready of course we do not mean to rush you, we just love seeing pictures of the gold.



I'll be more than happy to post progress pictures as I go. Hopefully you all will spot my mistakes and not reem me too hard for them lol

Ah... stannous. My old foe. Every time I have tried to make it, I feel it went wrong somehow and my eye-dropper glass container's rubber tip corroded by way of, best way I can describe is "dry rot" :/


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## FrugalRefiner (Jun 8, 2020)

You can certainly process more fingers and use those foils for your test, or you can simply use some of the foils you already have.



hammerdown said:


> To drive off the excess Cl would require leaving the beaker open to the air... no covering or sealing, yes? How would you suggest, for one who doesn't have the ability for a fume hood yet, to minimize any possible airborne and/or organic contaminates from entering the solution while being left unattended overnight?



KISS. Turn a bucket upside down and place it over the beaker. Put a brick or rock on top to keep critters out or the wind from blowing it over. Be careful when you remove the bucket not to breathe any of the built up gasses.




> Ah... stannous. My old foe. Every time I have tried to make it, I feel it went wrong somehow and my eye-dropper glass container's rubber tip corroded by way of, best way I can describe is "dry rot" :/



You didn't do anything wrong. The HCl vapors will always eat up a rubber bulb. Try an HDPE dropper bottle. They last a lot longer. Very cheap on eBay.

Dave


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## hammerdown (Jun 8, 2020)

FrugalRefiner said:


> ... or you can simply use some of the foils you already have.



Shhhhh! The litter of gold babies already in that beaker are sleeping calmly. I fear disturbing them just yet only for a sample lol Plus... I rather not seperate siblings like that  



FrugalRefiner said:


> hammerdown said:
> 
> 
> > To drive off the excess Cl would require leaving the beaker open to the air... no covering or sealing, yes? How would you suggest, for one who doesn't have the ability for a fume hood yet, to minimize any possible airborne and/or organic contaminates from entering the solution while being left unattended overnight?
> ...



I thought about that, but wasn't sure if that would've been sufficient enough given the trapping just above the beaker opening. And... KISS? I doubt Gene Simons will be of any help lol



FrugalRefiner said:


> hammerdown said:
> 
> 
> > Ah... stannous. My old foe. Every time I have tried to make it, I feel it went wrong somehow and my eye-dropper glass container's rubber tip corroded by way of, best way I can describe is "dry rot" :/
> ...



Well dang. Not once did I notice that tid bit of info from prior research. Time for my brain's glasses to be re-adjusted. Thanks!... I will look for some HDPE droppers.


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## Shark (Jun 8, 2020)

I use an old eye dropper bottle that had Visine in it. I have been using the same bottle for almost two years now. Just be sure to remove the old label and re label accordingly. Those bottles Dave mentioned are cheap online and well worth the extra effort. 

waiting to see the new gold...


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## jarlowski1 (Jun 8, 2020)

KISS refers to Keep It Simple and Stupid  



Gene simmons gets no royalties for that though


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## hammerdown (Jun 9, 2020)

Shark said:


> I use an old eye dropper bottle that had Visine in it. I have been using the same bottle for almost two years now. *Just be sure to remove the old label and re label accordingly*. Those bottles Dave mentioned are cheap online and well worth the extra effort.
> 
> waiting to see the new gold...



I could definitely _SEE _the reasoning behind the label changing :lol: 



jarlowski1 said:


> KISS refers to Keep It Simple and Stupid
> 
> 
> 
> Gene simmons gets no royalties for that though



I feel small and.. ahem... stupid now lol
.


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## rickbb (Jun 10, 2020)

hammerdown said:


> FrugalRefiner said:
> 
> 
> > Once all your metal has dissolved, heat the solution for a while or simply leave it overnight and any excess Cl should gas off.
> ...



It won't take overnight, a couple of hours of direct sunlight or 1/2 hour of low, (not boiling), heat is all it takes to drive off any excess Cl. CL will decompose quickly on it's own, you may even find you need to add more to the digestion if gold stops dissolving before you are finished.


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## hammerdown (Jun 10, 2020)

rickbb said:


> hammerdown said:
> 
> 
> > FrugalRefiner said:
> ...



Good to know... I appreciate the tip!


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## hammerdown (Jul 27, 2020)

I haven't gotten around to processing the beaker of foils above (yet), mainly due to LIFE... but also still a tad skittish about what's a new step/process for me combined with this torturous heat with little-to-no wind this summer here. I am, however, about ready to start a new batch run of RAM fingers to add more foils to the said beaker collection above  I love my rig I set up to trim most RAM fingers I get. I usually get very close in trimming that minimizes space & solder mask chunks. I usually wait until I have a handful or more of RAM before de-chipping & trimming. Anyways... just thought I'd add this to "show off" since supposedly that's what this thread group is for lol... but also to show progress on adding to the original posting.


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## hammerdown (Jul 27, 2020)

And pics of after trimming with weights...


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## goldenchild (Jul 27, 2020)

That's a very nice way to trim your fingers. The electronic kind! It will be very satisfying when you refine all that foil. And whats really nice is foil is the easiest material to refine next to actual gold powder.


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## hammerdown (Jul 27, 2020)

goldenchild said:


> That's a very nice way to trim your fingers. The electronic kind! It will be very satisfying when you refine all that foil. And whats really nice is foil is the easiest material to refine next to actual gold powder.



I'm kinda glad it isn't electronic trimming... be my luck a "glitch" hiccup would happen and there goes my finger tips before I could stop it... the WRONG kind of finger trimming lol Believe it or not, the manual shearing isn't bad with the fulcrum leverage of this tabletop shear. Trimmed all posted above (not counting what's in the brown tub) in under 15 minutes and no stiffness or aches in my shoulder  

I pray that when I actually do get around to refining that it'll be with little "rookie" mistakes with how long I've been waiting until I feel ready. But until _when_ that happens (not if lol), I'll keep adding to the foil collector.


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## silversaddle1 (Jul 27, 2020)

With gold edge memory approching the 21 dollar a pound range, is it even worth the time to do this? I understand there is more gold in the chips than the fingers? Is that wrong?


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## hammerdown (Jul 27, 2020)

silversaddle1 said:


> With gold edge memory approching the 21 dollar a pound range, is it even worth the time to do this? I understand there is more gold in the chips than the fingers? Is that wrong?



I can't speak for others, but I myself am mostly just going for the gold/PMs and not looking at worth in the process necessarily. Certain PM containing material I don't go for mind you, but easy cheddar like this I will. Any monetary value from the outcome of my labors & recovered PMs will be later on in life like retirement or extreme hardship times. For now though, it's for the love of the hobby... for me that is.


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## philddreamer (Jul 27, 2020)

I just picked up 100# of :G RAM... so, selling at $21.00/# (or close to that price) I wouldn't mind selling them, rather than processing them!!! :mrgreen:


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## Striker33 (Jul 27, 2020)

Hammerdown, if you know what method you will use to dissolve the foils, you can start with something like 5 or ten foils and do a small test on those to get confidence in the process and chemical handling steps. That’s enough to see whether it works and you will only need on the order of drops of chemicals, rather than a full beaker.


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## hammerdown (Jul 27, 2020)

Striker33 said:


> Hammerdown, if you know what method you will use to dissolve the foils, you can start with something like 5 or ten foils and do a small test on those to get confidence in the process and chemical handling steps. That’s enough to see whether it works and you will only need on the order of drops of chemicals, rather than a full beaker.



My intensions will be HCL+CL. I remember you, or someone, suggesting to try a small sample first before diving off the deep end... of in which is also my intension. I guess it's just with the weather of NC this summer and lack of wind, even a small batch is still a bit intimidating when being the first time + the potential danger. PPE I have, but... I don't know... I guess I'm just being overly cautious. Life gets in the way as well. BUT... I will try it out before winter because I'm also getting impatient with my cautiousness lol


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## Striker33 (Jul 27, 2020)

There’s no rush on your end, but I am impatient to see what you wind up with, haha. Wait until you are comfortable and have the right conditions to do the small scale test, which will have very little risk. I’ve read on this forum that HCl/bleach is safer than AR, but I have only used AR so far and haven’t studied what the risks are for that process yet.


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## hammerdown (Jul 27, 2020)

Striker33 said:


> There’s no rush on your end, but I am impatient to see what you wind up with, haha. Wait until you are comfortable and have the right conditions to do the small scale test, which will have very little risk. I’ve read on this forum that HCl/bleach is safer than AR, but I have only used AR so far and haven’t studied what the risks are for that process yet.



Until said time comes to pass, at least I can say I still have the gold no matter what... it's just impure at the moment lol As far as which is safer in practice, I've come to the understanding that HCL+CL is actually more dangerous ( think WWII ), but easier ( relatively speaking ) for foil & powder refining than AR. Either one is inherently dangerous nonetheless. I'll eventually get around to AR at some point in my training, along with other processes, but just thought HCL+CL would be the better route as my next adventure outside of AP batches and Lye baths. I am fascinated by the "pro" procedures that the more advance use, but I recognize my limitations at present and listen to the angel on my shoulders rather than the devil lol


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## Shark (Jul 28, 2020)

Depending on how you feel, HCl/Cl can leave a larger volume of waste to clean up. Bleach has a habit of neutralizing the hydrochloric that can require extra HCl. It may just be me, but I ran into more problems getting clean drops with the HCl/Cl than I do with AR or Poorman's AR. Even then I am sure it is related to the unplanned neutralization of the HCl. 

The nice thing is you can work through whatever you decide with some help from the forum. Looking forward to the melted results whatever you decide.


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## hammerdown (Jul 28, 2020)

Shark said:


> Depending on how you feel, HCl/Cl can leave a larger volume of waste to clean up. Bleach has a habit of neutralizing the hydrochloric that can require extra HCl. It may just be me, but I ran into more problems getting clean drops with the HCl/Cl than I do with AR or Poorman's AR. Even then I am sure it is related to the unplanned neutralization of the HCl.
> 
> The nice thing is you can work through whatever you decide with some help from the forum. Looking forward to the melted results whatever you decide.



Point and game right there! No one process will be the best for everyone as I've read numerous time. It may be in the end that HCL+CL won't be the best route for me as well, but my inner cautious voice is telling me louder to go that route as my next step in learning experience. Any and all waste I will keep until necessary to reduce down for proper disposal, in the case that any waste solution created may be of use for some other future method. So far though, the only waste I've created to date is saturated CuCl2, which I know can be used for other leaches until saturated with Fe, but also to jump start new AP if necessary instead of using H2O2 (correct?). Whatever will or won't be the best for me at any point from e-waste-to-refined shinies… one can never learn without some headaches & failures along the way. One must fail before they can ever truly succeed.

And I appreciate the responses within the forum being here for added support when "search & rescue missions" using the search feature doesn't seem to quite do the trick  I have to admit, it's getting harder n harder to wade through all the threads from a search query now a days. Would be somewhat helpful if one thread didn't show up repeatedly congesting a single search lol


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## silversaddle1 (Jul 28, 2020)

Well, then there's this....... :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-LB-4oz-HIGH-GRADE-OLD-FINGERS-BOARD-DOUBLE-SIDED-GOLD-SCRAP-RECOVERY/184378751335?hash=item2aedd47967:g:WSwAAOSwULhfHzqD


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## patnor1011 (Jul 30, 2020)

silversaddle1 said:


> Well, then there's this....... :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-LB-4oz-HIGH-GRADE-OLD-FINGERS-BOARD-DOUBLE-SIDED-GOLD-SCRAP-RECOVERY/184378751335?hash=item2aedd47967:g:WSwAAOSwULhfHzqD



Meh, that is a bargain compared to this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5X-BOARD-FOR-GOLD-SCRAP-RECOVERY-RARE/133473417600?_trkparms=aid%3D1110009%26algo%3DSPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225086%26meid%3D1b575cf8feb94e0392ae5d294253e487%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D184378751335%26itm%3D133473417600%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3Ddefault&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

That should make your head spin. I do have a bucket of them somewhere and I will give them for half price than that auction :twisted:
He even claims it is a CPU with bent pins lol when it is just a laptop touch board. I did not bother processing them yet as it require soak in acetone and some scrubbing to get the glue off and that is too much of a time I do not have right now...


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## hammerdown (Jul 30, 2020)

patnor1011 said:


> silversaddle1 said:
> 
> 
> > Well, then there's this....... :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
> ...



This is why I will not buy any material from eBay... or pretty much anywhere lol I just stick to the e-waste my community bring me since I advertise it with my computer repair business. Shoot, I even have some competitors giving me their e-waste


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