Chip value estimation

[pinwheel]

Can anyone estimate the value per pound in these chips? They appear to have lead copper wires and a small square gold plated (over copper) chip inside.

 

[Anonymous]

These are almost worthless,as are most "plastic packaged" chips.I have broken plastic chips in almost every package ever available,and have found very few with any gold to speak of.......ceramic is a different story.Goldsilverpro has some good stories about his days with ceramics.

 

[Claudie]

I think they have gold wires inside but I believe you need a microscope to see them. The subject of which chips have gold and which do not is somewhat confusing here I think. Some members say they have no gold, others say they do. I am sure that some of them do, but some may not. I suppose this should be a project for someone to find out about PM content and end the confusion. I think the best way to process them might be to incinerate them, then crush them, separate the magnetic parts out, then maybe go with AP. Suggestions?

 

[pinwheel]

They are certainly not worthless, nor are these plastic. I have real quotes in hand so by these I can tell for sure there is gold in them. I did a nitric test and ate the gold off the copper chip etc. Its gold for sure.

 

[patnor1011]

I did a nitric test and ate the gold off the copper chip etc. Its gold for sure.

I dont understand this. I would think that nitric will dissolve copper and leave gold no?

 

[pinwheel]

well it was just a gold test kit.

 

[Anonymous]

They are certainly not worthless, nor are these plastic. I have real quotes in hand so by these I can tell for sure there is gold in them. I did a nitric test and ate the gold off the copper chip etc. Its gold for sure.

First off,I did not say worthless! I said "almost" worthless,and I was referring to the gold content in each chip.Given the fact that you asked for the value on a per pound basis,
Secondly, there are primarily 2 types of substrate......ceramic,and what we call plastic.Those ARE NOT ceramic.
Thirdly,if you have quotes in hand,then what is the purpose of this thread?
Fourthly,and most important, if you ate the gold off with nitric,you may want to sell them to the highest offer as soon as you can.
And finally,by contradicting an answer to a question that you yourself asked,you are likely to put a bad taste in peoples mouth about trying to help you.
You asked a question.....I answered.Others have answered since and I promise more members will answer after this.I would suggest you read all of the answers and form your own oppinion based on all of the answers given.

 

[pinwheel]

If you look at it on a single chip basis, then yes, they are not worth much. But I happen to have a lot of them so it adds up quickly. In any case, all I am really after is to see if anyone has processed these. I want to make sure my quotes are not way off by an order of magnitude.

 

[jimdoc]

Maybe you should share your quotes?

Jim

 

[samuel-a]

I ball park the black IC's at <0.001% , gold wise.

The package material is not composed from ceramics as mic mentioned. calling it plastic might not be very accurate term as well (though much more relevant term).
The molding materail composed mainly from a resin of sort (organic material of course) that act as binder and fused silica powder cured togather with high heat.

There are other element (either organic or non) added to the molding material to effect the physical behavior of the package. This info is not really shared in full by manufacturers though.

Edit:
If you have a very large amount and relatively homogenous, you'd be better off pay to assay them before selling them.

 

[patnor1011]

I would not put any estimate on mixed IC. There is more types of them than you have types of shoes. If you need to have estimate to set price on them and you have quantity of the same product at hand you have to do test/sample batch. Otherwise you will be guessing like Samuel is.
Estimate of 0.01g of gold in 1 kilogram of IC? I don't know....

 

[samuel-a]

Otherwise you will be guessing like Samuel is.

Hi Pat
This is not a guess actually.

Estimate of 0.01g of gold in 1 kilogram of IC? I don't know....

I wrote <0.001%, meaning one thenth of a percent and even less.

There is more types of them than you have types of shoes.

Exactly the reason why i said it's my ball park, rather then stating exact numbers.
And that he probably be better assay them if he have big homogenous amounts.

 

[patnor1011]

I wrote <0.001%, meaning one thenth of a percent and even less.

0.1 is one tenth of 1
0.01 is one hundredth of 1
0.001 is one thousandth of 1

 

[samuel-a]

http://www.google.com/search?q=one+...gc.r_pw.&fp=e2cdbf82a93ada0c&biw=1280&bih=709


But, i guess we understand each other :mrgreen:

Just in case some one didn't, what i meant to say my ball park numbers are: per 1000 grams of chips, there's less or equal to 1 gram of gold.

 

[Anonymous]

what i meant to say my ball park numbers are: per 1000 grams of chips, there's less or equal to 1 gram of gold.

I can see that as being a relatively accurate estimate.

 

[pinwheel]

OK so if I have 700 pounds of these at 1g per 1000g then I should expect a net result of over 10 ounces of Au which certainly warrants a trip to the assayer. This also makes my existing quotes way too low.

 

[Anonymous]

That would be over 26 ounces,and yes.....IF you had 700 pounds of them,then yes it would be worth taking them to an assayer,like Samuel suggested.

 

[pinwheel]

26 ounces? I estimated 10.2 oz based on his estimate of 1gram per 1000g. Is my math funny?

 

[trashmaster]

I also would like to know how you came up with 26oz ?????

I came up with the same number 10.2 ????????????????

 

[Claudie]

I did it twice & came up with 11.2 both times. :|