Am I on the right track?

[GrailSeeker]

Hi all,
I would like to post some thoughts just to see if they agree to a degree:

Most of the times I am using AC mask, gloves and glasses when stripping the components. I have set up a small spreadsheet, with weights, types etc. Up so far the scrap weighs about 1,5kg. I am not going to do much until I have gathered enough. Now what is enough is hard to tell, but I need to keep the gold acquiring process as a one time thing, perhaps two. It simply is more cost effective and less time consuming in the long run (confused? I know). For this, I suppose my best bet would be electrowinning.At least for the larger bulk. For small components I guess Aqua Regia is the way to go.

So here is what I have up so far:
1. a bag of various Gp connectors, boards, RAM modules etc.
2. 6 PPro Chips
3. 5 ICs in PGA package acquired from a 70's card.
4. GP pins from the same card, roughly removed.
5. Smaller particles from various instruments, clocks, lighters etc.
6. There is this spring (came from an analogue high current gauge) which I believe is gold leaf. however it's just a few mg weight.
7. x686 and a couple of fibre MMX with little gold plating on the pins.

Also about a 100 gr of other dental parts and jewelery, which I am not going to write more about since they hold a sentimental value, meaning there will be some time until I process them and IF...

I need also to mention that Pentium Pro Chips don't always weight 87,3gr. All these chips are in the order of 90gr. i.e. several I have weigh 88,8 etc. That could be another explanation why yields tend to vary significantly. The 512k cache PPro's seem to be 87,3, but there are 256k variants also. (k stands for kilobyte not karat) These variations indicate that since the ceramic packaging density and volume cannot change, the die and contacts should.Besides I don't think there is a chance that one can fine control the plating process, so it is more of a bet with processors and other computer components. The position of the cpu parts in the plating cell can't be the same from each terminal and the manufacturer couldn't be bothered. Just a speculation.

And now the questions:

1. Are there any known reactions between acids and ceramics?
2. Any lead and/or Cadmium present?
3. For pure gold such as no. 6 is it just better to melt it with the rest after dissolving in AR?
4. I have seen electrolytes contain cyanides and others with sulfuric acid and glycerine mix. I am not touching cyanides until the 2nd Coming (I prefer ordinary beans ), so the latter is prefferable. Do you know any other electrolyte compounds which are relatively safer?

Generally, am I on the right track?

Thanks for your input. It's much appreciated and I hope I could be of any help in the future.

 

[goldenchild]

I think your question in the simplest words are "should I take all this stuff I have and throw it in AR"? Could you? Yes. Should you? In my opinion no.

All your material needs to be processed in the most efficient way using techniques discussed on the forum. If you go staight to the AR you will be doing more work in the long run.

 

[GrailSeeker]

Thanks for your reply goldenchild. On the contrary I am thinking of processing them via electrowinning. The rest that can't fit between a pair of crockodile leads will have to be dealt with AR anyway.

 

[Lino1406]

Look as needing grinding for exposing the gold,
Otherwise it will be a time waste

 

[GrailSeeker]

If noone objects I will use this thread to post any updates. I decided to grind all ceramics with a sledge. I first enclosed them in an ESD bag (durable) and then with a towel to protect the bag.

Even though I have starting reading Hoke I am pretty new to this. However one thing I have made out of common sense is that the more area I manage to expose, the better and faster the acids will work on them. This will also help me scale down the process by using smaller quantities at a time and minimise the fumes. After all I will use my balcony for this, for now at least ...

 

[Oz]

By all means update us on this thread, it is the best place as it is where you first started asking questions on this group of material you have.

Having said that, AR on a balcony? Surely you are just kidding around.

Even if you do not care that you will be emitting nasty gases and possibly toxic metals onto your neighbors, you will find that your (probably) aluminum framed balcony doors start growing white salt crystals as they erode away.

I know I am sounding hard here but given your poor choice of how to process the material you have, I am left with the assumption that you do not know chemistry well enough to know what byproducts you will be putting into the environment. You feel safe because you will close your balcony door and not have to breath it, but you will still expose your neighbors to toxic metals and fumes that they do not have the foreknowledge of what you are doing to avoid exposure as you will be doing.

If somehow I am wrong in these assumptions please tell me and I will ever so gladly retract my statements. I would ask however for you to explain how you have a balcony without being in high density housing, and that if you think what you are getting ready to do is safe for your neighbors, why you do not just do it in your own kitchen so you are the only one that has to breath it.

Yes, this kind of inconsideration for others and hazard really pisses me off!

Edit; I do not wish to ask uncomfortable questions as to your dental material as you said it was sentimental in nature. Be advised however that most dental scrap contains mercury.

 

[GrailSeeker]

Thank you Oz. Neighboors are a priority indeed, and you are right remarking the possible hazards. Any reactions will probably take place on the terrace, about 2 floors up, is one of the highest on the block, and I will try to do that on windy days. The thing I would like to note is that I will try to desolve small portions at a time. I am in no hurry and this is more of a hobby than a profession. So the reactands every time will be less than say 300 ml per beaker. Keep them coming!

As for the balcony itself is large enough and surrounded by an iron frame and marble plates. If I get discouraged in any way, I will try to do this remotely somewhere, or resort to electrowinning.

 

[Oz]

I am at a loss for words.

Given the fact that you are in high density housing, unless you are sure enough of your reactions being safe that you would do it in your kitchen while standing over it, you have no business doing it out on your balcony. Your unsuspecting neighbors will breath what you are not willing to. It is not just about breathing this crap, as any copper, nickel, tin, mercury, cadmium, (the list goes on) that gets dispersed in the air will cement onto your neighbors iron grill. Would you want to cook your next steak dinner on that?

Your limitation of 300 ml is no safety factor either. If you read the wrong things online and take them as fact, there are combinations that could kill many with just 300 milliliters of reagents. Smaller is better but not always safe.

I guess the take away message I am trying to give as to your balcony is “do not do unto others that which you would not do unto yourself”.

 

[GrailSeeker]

Thank you Oz!

I am currently reading through: http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=613

 

[joem]

Even just with the A/P process all my steel tools on the same bench rusted within 3 days. An iron railing on your balcony 2 floors up might degrade over time that creates a falling hazzrd.

 

[gold4mike]

I did the same thing to most of the tools hanging in my garage. I now process in a wooden shed in the back yard, with 24/7 ventilation so I don't walk into a "surprise" when I open the door.

 

[GrailSeeker]

Ok, here is how I decided to separate the ceramics and pins. Broken them all with a hammer, die exposed. Couldn't remove the lids with the heat gun.

about 400gr. are the plated parts. another 180 is the rest of the ceramic housing - pins in one side only (inside the cup) . Finally 25 gr. of pins mainly from hard drive interfaces (small bag). There is about 50gr more of dust-mud debris after smashing residing in a filter too.

Here's the plan

Deplate electrically the large chunks and chemically process the rest. One thing I need to ask perhaps Steve about is would the electrolyte attack the die at all? Because if not then one thing can only attack glass and I am not even mentioning it. :shock:

 

[butcher]

ceramic wil not dissolve in acids we normally use and you already seem to know the acid used to etch glass, looking good on getting your material ready for recovery, I am not following this thread closely but please consider a camping trip or a trip to a friends farm, and do not set up a chemistry lab on a city balcony, it could cost you way more than that bit of gold plate you are fooling with.

 

[patnor1011]

I strongly advise against trying to do anything on balcony. Did you considered what you will do if some of your beakers or bottles will be knocked down on the street? Secondly - the amount of material you are going to process is not worth any risk. You will not get much gold out of that. I know that people want try to do something by themselves. A lot of times they just feel sorry that they started.

 

[GrailSeeker]

no balcony. period.

 

[jimdoc]

I know that people want try to do something by themselves. A lot of times they just feel sorry that they started.

That is true,and in reality you can probably sell the cpu's on Ebay and get more than the gold's value and then just buy some gold coins or bullion and avoid the work and chemicals.This is pretty much a hobby on a small scale.
If it is a hobby you enjoy,and will invest in,learning and some safety supplies,
it may turn out to be fun and profitable.But same that are in it for the money
may make out better with the Ebay route.

Jim