Processing Fingers with CuCl2 etching solution

samuel-a · Dec 19, 2013

Hi all,

Just finished writing and uplading a new tutorial.
I reckon it is quite basic for many members but could be helpful to the new guys.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCmXLXrAtto[/youtube]

Gold Fingers - How to Recover Gold from Electronic Scrap

Please post comments, questions and critique...
Thank you all for helping me, especially to Lazsersteve and his great presentation of the process on his website.

goldsilverpro · Dec 19, 2013

So what did it weigh, Sam? I guess 1.6g. Good video. Very straightforward and well explained.

samuel-a · Dec 19, 2013

Thanks Cheris! That means alot coming from you.

But i'm not telling just yet...

butcher · Dec 19, 2013

Excellent video.

jonn · Dec 19, 2013

Excellent video Sam, thank you. My guess on the weight is 2.3 grams

g_axelsson · Dec 20, 2013

Great video, I really liked your schematic diagram of the different layers of plating on the card. But the text showing the reaction after that part was really hard to read. That thick fancy font might be cool but it isn't easy on the eyes.

Good work! 8)

Göran

samuel-a · Dec 23, 2013

Thanks for the comments guys.

Given, that much of this batch were partially plated figers, the yield was actually at the low end of the spectrum: 1.47g
meaning 1.32 g/lb.
With all the steps shown in the video, I estimate recovery rate of 98%+.

Despite the not so impressive yield for this particular batch, it is my hope the newcomers will get to learn those very basic steps which are required. At the end of the day, they will get their own numbers and could be certain they have made the process properly. Yields, in my point of view is of lesser importance (processing wise), it's all about recovery rate.

Merry Christmas to you all !!

sharkhook · Dec 23, 2013

I love this video!

I think this is the 9th or 10th time I have watched it, and I keep picking up useful tips. It has helped me find and fix areas that were causing me losses in my recovery process. That means a lot when working with the small amount I am right now. The way you fold the filter has helped to speed up my filtering times. Your wash cycle, after removing the foils was fantastic, I now know where more losses are in my process. I have been using the dry method to shake loose any dry particles and this made me realize I had to be loosing more in the other steps.

Thanks, every beginner should learn something from this that will help them improve in their over all process.

Palladium · Dec 23, 2013

Merry Christmas Sam!

muhammad faisal · Feb 24, 2014

hello sam ...
I think this is the 9th or 10th time I have watched it also

but how can i get this complete video ? ? ? ? ?

Sungil JEON · Feb 26, 2014

Hello sam.
This is Sungil JEON, from KOREA. :lol:
Thank you for very good video.
I have a question.
Would you tell me the concentraion of the copper chloride(CuCl2) solution.
I'm following your experiment of video.
(I'm interested in gold recovery from wast home appliences)
I'll be glad to hear from you.
Thank you for reading, bye.

sincerely your fan Sungil JEON

butcher · Feb 26, 2014

Sungil JEON,

Welcome to the forum, all of your questions and many more will be revealed as you study the forum, to be successful at recovery and refining you will need to take the time to study, just trying things by watching some videos (even good ones) without doing your home work will lead to many problems and loss of your gold.

Sam in his video used a solution of CuCl2 from a previous batch for his starting etching solution, he could of made the CuCl2 from the copper that the memory foils had on them instead, the concentration of the CuCl2 solution is not important, as the leach works to dissolve copper its concentration is changing.

Spend some time studying the forum, you will be amazed at the many things you will learn, and this is the only way to learn (asking a question may get one answer, but studying any and all of the answers can be found, many you would never even dream to ask).

C.M. Hoke's book will cover the basic principle of recovery and refining (a must read).

A good place to begin is with:
The Guide to the forum.
The general reaction list.
Welcome to new members.
Found in the general chat section.

In the safety section you can learn how to keep yourself and those around you safe.
A good place to begin in this section is the thread Dealing with waste.

Reading the flagged topics is also a good place to begin your study.

Web sites like Samuel-a's and Laser Steve's and a few other forum members are very helpful to supplement what you have been studying, they can give you helpful information and videos where you can see visually a few of the things we learn on the forum.

Sungil JEON · Feb 26, 2014

Thank you for your kind answer.
I'll do my best.
And if I have a question, I'll ask you. Thank you.

p.s : English is not my mother tongue.
What's the meaning of "Free HCl" ? NO HCl?
It's very hard to understand. Let me know this please...

butcher said:
Sungil JEON,

Welcome to the forum, all of your questions and many more will be revealed as you study the forum, to be successful at recovery and refining you will need to take the time to study, just trying things by watching some videos (even good ones) without doing your home work will lead to many problems and loss of your gold.

Sam in his video used a solution of CuCl2 from a previous batch for his starting etching solution, he could of made the CuCl2 from the copper that the memory foils had on them instead, the concentration of the CuCl2 solution is not important, as the leach works to dissolve copper its concentration is changing.

Spend some time studying the forum, you will be amazed at the many things you will learn, and this is the only way to learn (asking a question may get one answer, but studying any and all of the answers can be found, many you would never even dream to ask).

C.M. Hoke's book will cover the basic principle of recovery and refining (a must read).

A good place to begin is with:
The Guide to the forum.
The general reaction list.
Welcome to new members.
Found in the general chat section.

In the safety section you can learn how to keep yourself and those around you safe.
A good place to begin in this section is the thread Dealing with waste.

Reading the flagged topics is also a good place to begin your study.

Web sites like Samuel-a's and Laser Steve's and a few other forum members are very helpful to supplement what you have been studying, they can give you helpful information and videos where you can see visually a few of the things we learn on the forum.

FrugalRefiner · Feb 26, 2014

Sungil JEON said:
p.s : English is not my mother tongue.
What's the meaning of "Free HCl" ? NO HCl?
It's very hard to understand. Let me know this please...

"Free HCl" usually means a little extra in your solution. In other words, if it required 30 ml. of HCl to dissolve some material, and you had added 35 ml., you would have 5 ml. of free HCl in your solution. It means HCl that is still free to react with more material.

Dave

Sungil JEON · Feb 27, 2014

FrugalRefiner said:
Sungil JEON said:

p.s : English is not my mother tongue.
What's the meaning of "Free HCl" ? NO HCl?
It's very hard to understand. Let me know this please...

Click to expand...

"Free HCl" usually means a little extra in your solution. In other words, if it required 30 ml. of HCl to dissolve some material, and you had added 35 ml., you would have 5 ml. of free HCl in your solution. It means HCl that is still free to react with more material.

Dave

Hello Dave.
I'm glad to hear an answer from you. Thank you.
But I still have a question.
Why "Free HCl" is important?
The other two conditions are understandable.(CuCl2 and air circulation)
But why "Free HCl"?
I don't have any idea yet. (Maybe my english is problem?)

But I'm happy to be here.
Probably I'll get many helps from all over the world.

Good luck!

samuel-a · Feb 27, 2014

Butcher thank you.
I couldn't have said it better!

Harold_V · Feb 28, 2014

samuel-a said:
Hi all,

Just finished writing and uplading a new tutorial.
I reckon it is quite basic for many members but could be helpful to the new guys.

Exceptionally well presented, Sam.

Harold

samuel-a · Mar 17, 2014

Thank you Harold!

Sungil JEON · Mar 17, 2014

Hello Dear!

I'm newbie(am I wright?") in this forum.
(Please, would you understand my poor english?)

Yesterday I just finished my first experiment.

But now I'm in trouble.
I've followed whole process from video.(Gold Fingers - How to Recover Gold from Electronic Scrap in youtube)
And now I have two results.

<Process>
1. (HCl 800ml + H2O 650ml)+(CuCl2 20g + H2O 400ml) + Gold Finger 368g (with Air pumping, during 96hours)
2. Filtering(I got 3.4g Gold foil)
3. HCl(150ml) + H2O(150ml) + Gold foil(heated until 70℃)
then plus HNO3 5ml( then stayed 12 hours)
4. Plus more HNO3(10ml) : but no change
(then after 12 hours) plus HNO3(35ml) : but no change
5. Filtering → this is No. 1 solution

6. Filtered solid(from process 5) + HCl(100ml) + H2O(20ml) + heating(90℃) then plus HNO3(3ml) + more HNO3(3ml, after 15minutes) + more HNO3(10ml)
7. Filtering
8. Filtered solution + Ice cube + H2SO4(15ml) + agitating
9. Filtering → this is No. 2 solution

10. No. 1 solution + SMB 8g (white powder under flask)
11. No. 2 solution + SMB 8g (red colored particle)

,

Final result is in attached picture. I don't have any idea what's wrong.
I'm seeking expert advice, please.

Thank you for reading this article.

butcher · Mar 17, 2014

Just a guess, you did not eliminate the free nitric acid, that may be gold trying to precipitate.

Processing Fingers with CuCl2 etching solution

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