Curious about your first time

[Sacgemini]

Hi I'm new here, as well as to the whole gold refining process, and as I am getting acquainted with the forum I must say I really admire the community and the vast wealth of knowledge one could inherit if truly seeking it. My interest was sparked when I pulled a power supply out of one of a handful of old pc's I have out in the garage to start scrapping it for copper (or see if it was even worth the effort). For the heck of it I went online to see if youtube had anything worthwhile on the topic and it did but for a different topic, scrapping pc's for gold. Having worked at Intel I wonder why I didn't think about that sooner.

Anyway I'm kinda curious as to someone's very first trial run through the process of an estimate (if even possible to estimate) of their yield (specifically looking for how much was lost) and the weight of their first button.

Thanks!
-Tim

 

[nickvc]

Welcome to the forum Tim.
Your first idea to strip the base metals from your computer scrap is spot on as there is more value in them than the gold in virtually all computer scrap. I’m not saying you cannot get gold and other precious metals from e scrap but it does take a lot of scrap to make a decent button and also a lot of knowledge and work, the one good thing is that all you need to know is here on the forum if you want to learn the arts of recovery and refining and the best news is that’s it’s free and discussed in detail by some of the finest refiners on earth.
As to your question about the first button it depends on what quantity of scrap members had to work with, if you want a bigger button karat scrap is a better route unless you can source considerable amounts of e scrap to cherrypick.

 

[Shark]

I think the majority, like myself, started out by going after the gold content. I had no thought about how much, I just wanted to learn how to get it out. My first button of gold was from many drops that often only weighed a few tenths of a gram. I saved all those powders up until I had a dirty looking button. I re worked that button and did manage to get it a little better.
The first button and the refined version can be seen here.

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=20981#p216088

While I like to think I have got better at refining, there is always those days that make me feel like I know nothing and have to start researching again. It has been a very interesting journey.

 

[Sacgemini]

Thank you Shark and nickvc for your feedback and thanks for having me! Nice to know I'm on the right track, which is now leading me towards the path Shark hit on...I want to see if I can do it. With a handful of towers, several old laptops, 2 big boxes of computer parts that include CPU's that I got from laying out the circuits inside of them and never used this would just be a win-win situation clearing out the part of the garage at the same time. Collection also includes a box of old cell phones, wireless routers, cable boxes etc. I'm very intrigued, capable of learning, and have the resources at my disposal. I need a new hobby anyway Lol

And cool pics Shark, Thanks for sharing! I bet you still have that button somewhere safe

 

[Shark]

Thank you Shark and nickvc for your feedback and thanks for having me! Nice to know I'm on the right track, which is now leading me towards the path Shark hit on...I want to see if I can do it. With a handful of towers, several old laptops, 2 big boxes of computer parts that include CPU's that I got from laying out the circuits inside of them and never used this would just be a win-win situation clearing out the part of the garage at the same time. Collection also includes a box of old cell phones, wireless routers, cable boxes etc. I'm very intrigued, capable of learning, and have the resources at my disposal. I need a new hobby anyway Lol

And cool pics Shark, Thanks for sharing! I bet you still have that button somewhere safe

Sadly no, it is the only button I have ever sold. However I do still have all the gold I have recovered since then, not counting jobs I have done for other people.

 

[g_axelsson]

2 big boxes of computer parts that include CPU's that I got from laying out the circuits inside of them and never used

If you have engineering samples of CPU:s then it would be a lot more valuable as a collectors item than as a source of gold. Since you have worked on Intel I guess you are familiar with S-codes, the model number Intel is using. If I'm not totally wrong the engineering samples were marked with Q and four letters and numbers.
Prototypes and engineering samples are very much sought after by CPU collectors.

Göran

 

[Sacgemini]

That's a valid thought Goran, but I'm more interested in learning the process than I am making a buck off of them. And I will make sure to hang on to a few items specifically for my personal collection.

 

[Sacgemini]

Thank you Shark and nickvc for your feedback and thanks for having me! Nice to know I'm on the right track, which is now leading me towards the path Shark hit on...I want to see if I can do it. With a handful of towers, several old laptops, 2 big boxes of computer parts that include CPU's that I got from laying out the circuits inside of them and never used this would just be a win-win situation clearing out the part of the garage at the same time. Collection also includes a box of old cell phones, wireless routers, cable boxes etc. I'm very intrigued, capable of learning, and have the resources at my disposal. I need a new hobby anyway Lol

And cool pics Shark, Thanks for sharing! I bet you still have that button somewhere safe

Sadly no, it is the only button I have ever sold. However I do still have all the gold I have recovered since then, not counting jobs I have done for other people.

At least you have a pic of it! A symbol of accomplishment

 

[cosmetal]

Hi I'm new here, as well as to the whole gold refining process, and as I am getting acquainted with the forum I must say I really admire the community and the vast wealth of knowledge one could inherit if truly seeking it. My interest was sparked when I pulled a power supply out of one of a handful of old pc's I have out in the garage to start scrapping it for copper (or see if it was even worth the effort). For the heck of it I went online to see if youtube had anything worthwhile on the topic and it did but for a different topic, scrapping pc's for gold. Having worked at Intel I wonder why I didn't think about that sooner.

Anyway I'm kinda curious as to someone's very first trial run through the process of an estimate (if even possible to estimate) of their yield (specifically looking for how much was lost) and the weight of their first button.

Thanks!
-Tim

Greetings, neighbor.

Welcome to the fun house!

I still consider myself as a newbie. I have gold powder from my drops - not much, around 2 gms. But, no pics as I'm not finished with my recovery lessons and building my refining equipment. The truth be told, I need to locate my oxy/acetylene torch which is buried in a 10' x 30' storage unit. Of course, it's in the back of the unit behind all of my wife's goodies. :roll:

PM me if you want to get a cup of coffee and compare notes and progress.

Best,
James

 

[glorycloud]

That's a valid thought Goran, but I'm more interested in learning the process than I am making a buck off of them. And I will make sure to hang on to a few items specifically for my personal collection.

I will send you two non ES / CS / mech sample / Intel confidential CPUs for every
ES / CS / mech sample / Intel confidential CPU that you want to send me. That way
you can have double the material to start learning the processes taught here for
the recovery and refining of Au. 8)

PM me if you're interested.

 

[g_axelsson]

I would have made the same offer but Glorycloud beat me to it.
Better go with him as he's more "local" than me. I just hate to see rare stuff destroyed just for an experiment when there is so much scrap that have no value except for the gold.

Göran

 

[g_axelsson]

Oh, and my first gold button... was 30 years in the making. Ended up with 50 grams of nice but not so shiny gold. I think I had some serious palladium contamination.

I started to collect gold plated electronic scrap when I was a teenager. When I found this forum and learned how to refine gold I finally produced some fine gold powder. I collected this powder for several years until I had over 50 grams. Then I re-refined it and made my first real button.
http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=19840

I had made some mg-sized buttons as a test for yield on some components before I made the big button, but that doesn't count.
One IC recovery, milli gold button.
Yield from a single card, single gold finger refining.

Göran

 

[rickbb]

My first button was about 3g, nice little melt puddle.

But I lost it.

Long before I found this forum I "learned" from useless-tube. Thought it was cool to follow a video to make a melting dish out of a block of charcoal.

Had a nice melt going and just when I was ready to turn the heat off the "dish" cracked open, turned to ash and the gold poured itself out on the fire brick the charcoal dish was sitting on.

I guess it's not really lost, I still can see that shiny gold spot that has been absorbed into the brick. :roll:

 

[paras_gupta08]

Hi

I have just joined this forum. I have never been on a forum before. I need help with refining and other metal reactions.
I have low quality solder alloy (SnPb) it contains traces of copper, silver and cadmium.
I want to remove/minimize these contents to get only SnPb.
I plan to make solder wire for soldering on electronics.

Can someone please help me?
Please guide me how to get 99.99% purity by removing everything except SnPb from the low quality mixture of the metal that I have.

Thanks in advance.
I am new to metallurgy but very excited and want to learn.
Pleaseeeee help me out.

 

[artart47]

Hi Tim!
Welcome to our forum.
I collected foils in a mason jar for quite a while . Then one morning I dissolved them in HCl/Clorox. I was so scared that I'd spill the beaker or drop it.
With the coaching of the old-timer forum members I dropped the gold and ended up with a 19gram beautiful button. I got a compliment from Harold! I know how singers on American Idol feel when they get an ovation from Simon! LOL.
Art.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

paras_gupta, please don't double post. I deleted your other post since it was the same as this one.

Take a couple of minutes to read the forum rules. There is a link at the top of every page.

Dave

 

[paras_gupta08]

Hi again

Sorry for double posting before.

I am dealing with huge quantities of solder here. Around 10-12 tonnes per month.
I buy solder scrap and want to refine it, then make solder wire to be sold for industrial use to electronic companies.

I want help with refining of solder. I want to learn how to remove other components from SnPb namely Copper(Cu), Silver(Ag), Antimony(Sb), Iron(Fe)

The composition of the metal scrap I have usually contains about 60% tin, 35% lead and 5% other metals.
I want to remove these 5% other metals to refine my solder.

Please help.

 

[jimdoc]

This is mainly a precious metals refining forum.
Sounds like you are already in over your head with those quantities, and asking what you are asking.
There may be people here to give you some advice, but be patient.

 

[g_axelsson]

There is a way to refine the solder according to an old report. If it is economically or even practical I don't know.

It was done using molten salt electrolysis at 400-500 C, I'll try to find it...
Found it! http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=22889&p=240305#p240305
Even Ammen discussed it so I guess it's fair use on this forum.

Göran

 

[paras_gupta08]

There is a way to refine the solder according to an old report. If it is economically or even practical I don't know.

It was done using molten salt electrolysis at 400-500 C, I'll try to find it...
Found it! http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=22889&p=240305#p240305
Even Ammen discussed it so I guess it's fair use on this forum.

Göran

Hi g_axelsson

Thanks for the reply. I am going through as much reading material as possible here.
But I am a noob considering the chemistry involved here
It's taking me time to understand the procedures and whether or not they will give the results that I desire or not.

I really appreciate you spending time and trying to help me out. Thanks a lot buddy.

(I can illustrate with pictures the current procedures that I undertake to try and refine the scrap solder if that helps. But I want to better the technique and make it more efficient and scalable for huge quantity. At present I am unable to achieve even 98% purity.)


I am still eagerly looking for a solution to my problem.