# Did I pay too much?



## JTroyner (Feb 10, 2012)

I just bought 2 lbs. Of scrap RAM cards from some local scrap guys for $36.00. This will be my first real batch, so I'm not sure what to expect. I won't be terribly disappointed if it turns out to be a loss, because I know I need the experience. I have 50 RAM sticks total, 22 have chips on both sides, the rest on just one side. I've already stripped all the chips and capacitors. Any idea about yield? These guys and I are looking at a possible partnership if the yields are good..


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## Claudie (Feb 10, 2012)

$18.00 a pound is a little more than most places will pay. I hope you didn't discard the chips and the capacitors. The chips (IC Packages) contain Gold. The capacitors contain PMs also. There are several posts on here about refining the IC packages as well as the capacitors. Keep reading and learning. Remember, don't throw anything away until you're sure it's trash!


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## niteliteone (Feb 10, 2012)

JTroyner said:


> I just bought 2 lbs. Of scrap RAM cards from some local scrap guys for $36.00. This will be my first real batch, so I'm not sure what to expect. I won't be terribly disappointed if it turns out to be a loss, because I know I need the experience. I have 50 RAM sticks total, 22 have chips on both sides, the rest on just one side. I've already stripped all the chips and capacitors. Any idea about yield? These guys and I are looking at a possible partnership if the yields are good..



One of the highest paying buyers of computer scrap is only paying $14.00 per pound for complete ram.
http://boardsort.com/

So you ended up paying $4.00 lb. more than the highest buyer in the country I know of.

That probably explains why they are interested in a partnership with you. They think you can make more profit for them than any other buyer will offer.

As far as yields on what you have. If you process all visible gold You will be lucky to get 1\2 gram of gold about $25.00.
If you process the chips themselves you might add another 1\4 gram to your nugget.
So all total you might be lucky and het close to 3\4 of a gram if you are lucky. Which would give you around $35.00 after you spend all the time and money to process what you have. 
Leaves you a buck short if your chemicals were free and you were an expert that got every last bit of recoverable gold.

My opinion only.
Tom C.


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## nickvc (Feb 10, 2012)

Tom your right but as a starter experiment it really doesn't matter if he doesn't win on this one, he won't lose too much if he gets it right.
The processing will give a good insight into exactly what's required to get all the values and in future he can easily know what he feels is the right price to pay against the cost and work involved.
My bet is with you, he won't want to pay that much again but the experience is worth the cost IMHO.


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## Harold_V (Feb 10, 2012)

Well stated, Nick.

Harold


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## niteliteone (Feb 10, 2012)

Please don't take my post as a negative or feel I was giving you a bad time.

Most buyers and sellers in the business for a while know what they have and what it is worth. The point I was trying to bring to light is that "their might be a partnership if this works out right" :?: 
Then they make you pay over value for the material they want you to test for yields with. 
Then when your yields are short and don't cover the high cost of the material, where will the partnership be? 
If you over paid for the material you were a client, nothing more. 

I have done work for several scrappers like this and never paid a dime for the starting material to see if the returns would lead to us working together.

Now I have 3 different clients that send me product. (free of charge) I give an assay of expected return. I recover the PM's. Refine the PM's, then settle with the clients. 
I work on a percentage of recovered PM's. 15-25% depends on PM

The point being that the overprice for the material then the possibility for a partnership, should say a lot more about the partnership possibility...

Sorry if I sounded negative about the learning experience material. My negative was directed towards the client that had you overpay to begin with.

Tom C.

P.S. Where are you located?


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## JTroyner (Feb 10, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. The deal we were talking about is for me to buy the first lot of various scrap until I perfect the process for each and can get an idea of yield. I figured that purchasing the first lots of pcus, ram cards, etc is an act of good faith and will help me develop report. After that, they are willing to deliver the feedstock free and we will split the finished product 50/50. My only concern is they might be paying too much for feedstock and will be unhappy with yield. I guess we'll find out this weekend.


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## JTroyner (Feb 10, 2012)

And yes Claudie I am saving the stripped components. I plan to run chips in a ball mill before chemical processing, is this a good route?


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## Geo (Feb 10, 2012)

incinerate the chips first. if not the heat build up from the milling will melt the plastic and make a mess of the mill and trap any values inside.


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## JTroyner (Feb 10, 2012)

Geo said:


> incinerate the chips first. if not the heat build up from the milling will melt the plastic and make a mess of the mill and trap any values inside.



Thanks, I didn't consider that.


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## joem (Feb 10, 2012)

Well obviously the recycler gets $14 or more when they sell the stock pile they have. If you look at it from the recycler point of view; lets say they do get $16 a pound out of the memory , then why would they sell it less? They might just be breaking even on the deal and are waiting on your success on gold recovery with your test.


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## Smack (Feb 10, 2012)

I wouldn't process scrap like this for pm's for less then 60% of recovered values. You will be on the losing end at 50% just my take on that deal.


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## JTroyner (Feb 11, 2012)

niteliteone said:


> Please don't take my post as a negative or feel I was giving you a bad time.
> 
> Most buyers and sellers in the business for a while know what they have and what it is worth. The point I was trying to bring to light is that "their might be a partnership if this works out right" :?:
> Then they make you pay over value for the material they want you to test for yields with.
> ...



Sorry Tom, I just noticed your P.S. I'm in South Jersey, right across the river from Philadelphia.


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## niteliteone (Feb 11, 2012)

JTroyner,
Not a problem. 
I was hoping you were closer to me. I occasionally get some odd stuff you might like to learn on, but the long distance would be a big problem.
Maybe someone on here is a little closer to you (a few miles) that would be able to offer some material to learn with.

Keep up the learning, just watch the prices you offer for material. Most of the scrappers expect to get feebay prices when selling to us. You don't need to learn that lesson.

Take care 
Tom C.


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## jrmycooke (Feb 12, 2012)

Welcome JTroyner. I'm in Pitman if you ever get jammed up or have a question.


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## JTroyner (Feb 12, 2012)

jrmycooke said:


> Welcome JTroyner. I'm in Pitman if you ever get jammed up or have a question.



No way! My uncle was the fire chief there. Frank Kircher, retired now. Love that town! Maybe after I get a few batches under my belt we can get together and talk shop.


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## markmopar (Feb 13, 2012)

jrmycooke said:


> Welcome JTroyner. I'm in Pitman if you ever get jammed up or have a question.




Hey guys, I'm in Millville. I wonder how many more SJ folks are here.


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## JTroyner (Feb 13, 2012)

markmopar said:


> jrmycooke said:
> 
> 
> > Welcome JTroyner. I'm in Pitman if you ever get jammed up or have a question.
> ...



Millville hah? Shouldn't you be working with glass instead?  It's funny that we are all from South Jersey instead of New Jersey, its a whole different state down here..


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## kuma (Feb 13, 2012)

Hello all! How are tricks?
I hope all is well



JTroyner said:


> markmopar said:
> 
> 
> > jrmycooke said:
> ...



+1 from 'original' Jersey! Whoop whoop! :lol: 

" The British later seized control of the region, naming it the Province of New Jersey. It was granted as a colony to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. At this time, it was named after the largest of the British Channel Islands, Jersey, Carteret's birthplace. "

Source ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey

All the best everybody , and kind regards , 
Chris , proud Jerseyman , :mrgreen: :lol:


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## markmopar (Feb 13, 2012)

JTroyner said:


> markmopar said:
> 
> 
> > jrmycooke said:
> ...



LOL! I actually did used to work for Wheaton Tube Drawing years ago, and Kontes Scientific Glass in Vineland before that.

When I first visited southern NJ in 1983ish at 16, I was amazed to find farms, livestock and forests! Up until then I had the impression that NJ was nothing but concrete, factories and mobsters.


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## jrmycooke (Mar 26, 2012)

I remember an Ed Kircher from school. Any relation ?


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