Gold Extraction Process: Challenges and Need for Guidance

[user 73713]

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[Yggdrasil]

Gold Extraction Process: Challenges and Need for Guidance

I attempted to extract gold from a desktop CPU weighing 2500 grams. After removing the ceramic cover and thermal paste, I rinsed the CPU with hot water and submerged it in HNO3 (nitric acid) for one hour until a blue color appeared. Then, I removed the gold-plated pins from the PCB and dissolved them in aqua regia (300ml HCl + 100ml HNO3) for 5-6 hours. After the filtration process, I mistakenly added hydrazine hydrate (H6N2O) instead of neutralizing the HNO3 in aqua regia. Some precipitation occurred, but I am unsure about the results and need advice on how to proceed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to us.

Please tell us where you found these procedures.
There are far better ways to do it, so I suggest you put your things away in a safe place and study these links.
A couple of advises we do NOT make AR like you do,
secondly if you do not get rid of the Tin you will create Metastannic acid in Nitric, which is a nightmare to filter.
The amount of Nitric you used is sufficient to dissolve about 100grams of Gold.
This means you need to deNOx it, either by evaporation or with Sulfamic acid.
Why do you use Hydrazine, we really do not recommend the use of Hydrazine.

So here is your material to study:

We ask our new members to do 3 things.
1. Read C.M. Hokes book on refining jewelers scrap, it gives an easy introduction to the most important chemistry regarding refining.
It is free here on the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=19798
2. Then read the safety section of the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/safety.47/
3. And then read about "Dealing with waste" in the forum: https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/dealing-with-waste.10539/

Suggested reading:
https://goldrefiningforum.com/forums/the-library.101/
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/when-in-doubt-cement-it-out.30236/
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threa...le-read-this-before-you-post-about-ore.33333/


Forum rules is here.
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/gold-refining-forum-rules.31182/

 

[Yggdrasil]

Gold Extraction Process: Challenges and Need for Guidance

I attempted to extract gold from a desktop CPU weighing 2500 grams. After removing the ceramic cover and thermal paste, I rinsed the CPU with hot water and submerged it in HNO3 (nitric acid) for one hour until a blue color appeared. Then, I removed the gold-plated pins from the PCB and dissolved them in aqua regia (300ml HCl + 100ml HNO3) for 5-6 hours. After the filtration process, I mistakenly added hydrazine hydrate (H6N2O) instead of neutralizing the HNO3 in aqua regia. Some precipitation occurred, but I am unsure about the results and need advice on how to proceed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

After you have studied this, we recommend reading Hokes book more than once.
Then come back with a plan to fix your problem and we will help you on the way.

 

[CrystAG]

Wow! Hydrazine and nitric is a hypergolic rocket propellant - i would strongly recommend taking the advice given and study, before something a lot more serious occurs than a disappointing precipitate.

 

[user 73713]

Thank you very much for the resources you directed me to, but do you have any quick tips?

 

[Yggdrasil]

Thank you very much for the resources you directed me to, but do you have any quick tips?

Yes, as I said pack it down a safe place while you study.

Where did you find these procedures by the way?
It is almost a list of what not to do.

Hydrazine can create combustible products and not something you want inside your Gold powder.
We try to reclaim it not spread it.
Additionally it is Carcinogenic.

We NEVER neutralize the Nitric during processing we deNOx it which means decomposing the Nitric to non active products.
Neutralizing means to bring something to a pH 7.
In refining this can create a lot of issues like dropping base metals and Precious metals as Hydroxides.
So please answer my question, where did you find this procedure?

 

[user 73713]

Former refinery workers were brought together using various forums and artificial intelligence.

 

[GoIdman]

Former refinery workers were brought together using various forums and artificial intelligence.

hmm ... sound like a GPT project ... not to long ago presented here... May be just a coincidence..

In the world of chemichals and recovery and refining gold, sometimes tiktok and youtube are not the best sources of legitimate informations.

Study the links you have been given. If you dont understand something from the book, you`ll find answers here on the forum.

You can get this wrong only one time, you may or will not have the opportunity to do it twice. Chemicals will kill you, without any warning.

Be safe,

Pete

 

[Yggdrasil]

Former refinery workers were brought together using various forums and artificial intelligence.

Can you describe the process you were following in detail?

 

[user 73713]

There are three different algorithms. One uses electrolysis. Which one's recipe would you like

 

[Yggdrasil]

There are three different algorithms. One uses electrolysis. Which one's recipe would you like

I asked what process YOU used when you made your mess!

The reasoning why you did the different steps and what you expected to happen.

Like this:
You used Nitric to remove base metals, but only until it became blue, why not finish it?
And why did you not remove Tin first, Tin is not compatible with Nitric as it creates a big mess.
What had you planned to use when you used the Hydrazine?

So please give us a step by step list of what you did and why.

Then read the material we gave you and we can help you adjust your process.