Hello G.R. Forum Users

[Anonymous]

Hello Gold Refining Forum Users!

I've just started out my most serious quest into the recycling business in general. Of course that i know about the Gold content of Computer circuitry, but only now I've gathered some time to get in to the matter more seriously, and so my research brought me here to this forum.
I've gathered in just a half dozen loads more than 1,5 Ton of e- waste for free!! and i have separated the high-grade boards and any component with visible Gold contents for harvesting or extraction in order to maximize my profits in what concerns the commodities of this type of equipment.
Maybe because i'm doing everything by myself in my home, or i didn't have any clue that i would stack up so fast the 100 square meters that i've based my operation in, i think that it is time to get the first batch of gold out of all those Mother Boards, Processors, HDD, FDD, CD-Roms... and everything else that i've collected so far.

I borrowed my next door neighbor's empty house to keep all the neutralized CRT's stored away for some experiences on extracting safely the Lead from the glass, and to do some further research on the potential Radioactivity of the Ray Gun of the CRT, so i don't get in any kind of danger performing the separation of those elements.
I'm running all my operation with just one scrap dealer that is just a couple of blocks away from my house, so it's all looking good to pursue the big bucks of all the gold that is hiding in all those places that you've discussed allover the forum. I'm already making very good money with this because i don't pay nor charge for collecting all the e-waste, and i can still get a lot more once i've got my waste management license approved.

My main goal with this recycling operation is to reuse the most components as possible as long as it works, so i have to spend a lot of time testing everything before adding it to my "used components for resale/reuse".
Now i really need a lightning fast way to sell all of this gold so i can invest in some more efficient structure and start hiring people to help out with the hundreds of computers lined up for pick up in my schedule. I've took some samples of the golden Pins to some stores that buy gold, but so far, none of them showed any interest in this even after i mentioned that i might have like 10Kg of pins every week! So, i have to take this matter in my own hands and purify the Gold so i can sell it at an average rate of 17,00€/g.

Very enlightening material here on this Forum, and it has already become my guide book on this subject, since all the posts gather the info both technical and chemical to do things properly. I'm very concerned about the residue of smashed circuit boards, fumes from chemical reactions and the contaminated liquids after processing the gold to achieve it's most pure state, because the main goal is to recycle properly all the e-waste collected.
I will be asking some questions and posting some pictures of stuff that i would like to share with you for some challenging devices, or simply to make your mind wonder on how much stuff i collect for free here. Also there might be some interest in selling boards or components directly upon good offers.

Greetings from Lisbon, Portugal

Paul

 

[Noxx]

If I were you, I'd start with the high grade stuff, but with small batches in order to get the touch.

If you want to get a good background, read Hoke's book! It does not cover the recovery from electronics but you will get an idea on how it's done.

Good luck!

 

[shyknee]

paul


o-la
I'm from a place 100km north have you heard of Peniche
god I miss surfing in that freezing water

opps sorry I'm having flash backs

any way get rid of those monitors before you have to pay to get rid of them

I've took some samples of the golden Pins to some stores that buy gold, but so far, none of them showed any interest in this even after i mentioned that i might have like 10Kg of pins every week!

se eu tivesse ai nos fazia negosio com o oro. o me portugues nao presta

by for now

 

[Anonymous]

Hello, and thanks for you replies.

Noxx - i've read quite some times about that book here on the Forum, but i still haven't read it. I've watched Steve's videos instead

I'm thinking about making my first test with FDD connection pins. They seem quite long an thick, also i don't use FDDs on any of my refurbished machines so before cutting trough motherboards for gold pins and smash all the ceramic processors that i have been piling up, what must i know about extracting the gold plating of those FDD pins, and most important: What results may i expect on 100g of pins, and also if i should cut the solder bit on the end that is attached to the boards or keep it and process it.
What do you recommend on that case? I hope that it doesn't involve the use harsh chemicals

Shyknee - Yes, i'm very familiar to Peniche, and besides the freezing seawater i also enjoy the seafood and the Berlenga Island for time out with my family. I worked in Peniche some years ago, so we relate on that matter and urban waste gold digging hehehe. Any time you feel to talk about old memories, be my guest 8)

Thank you!!

 

[nickvc]

What do you recommend on that case? I hope that it doesn't involve the use harsh chemicals

Well if that statement is true you really need to rethink your business plan.Gold is one of the most inert unreactive metals we have and all procedures to remove or refine involve strong acids or even worse poisonous alkalis such as cyanide.If you dont want to mess with these chemicals my advice would be to learn what to harvest to sell on and contact a refiner to buy the waste boards less the more valuable cpus pins fingers etc which you can sell on here or ebay.If your stuck for a buyer i can give you a few UK based buyers of this type of e scrap. Good luck in your new venture.

 

[shyknee]

triadrecycle

100g of FDD pins = nada it is good for learning the reaction with acids

but from what i have understood from this is that you have a lot of reading ahead of you
for example safety with acid fumes, poisonous mixes and reactive metals that toxic and explosive

1kilo of pins may give you 1g gold depends on plating and you should use a cell to deplate the gold before using AR

ate-logo

 

[machiavelli976]

hello triadrecycle, selling your refined gold at an "average rate of 17 euro " means you will be robbed. find a good dealer until you 'll got your first gold !

 

[Anonymous]

Hello to everyone!

Indeed, that i much appreciate all your posts regarding my latest question, and a must say that i have a very strong sense that i'm not a chemist, fact that may put my health at risk in some experiments.
So, for what Gold is concerned, i guess that i will keep on the harvesting (the simple harvesting only) with wire cutters, and pursue someone that does the refinement in a suitable installation. Although i have a curious nature on the disassembling of electronic equipment, i must say that the goal of my Recycling operation is NOT the Gold itself.

My experience as a computer technician let's me create and build advanced technological structures such as: Desks with built in computers, workstations in general, security devices with computer and cellphone components, to name just a few. My idea is to reuse and adapt obsolete computers (to regular users) to perform simple tasks such as temperature control, various types of counting devices (for crowd control mostly) and other non demanding functions as far as a Pentium ii can handle. In my first post i mentioned that i am still working to get my legal stuff in order so that i can build proper installations and hire the human resources that have knowledge about some processes, especially in chemical usage for all types of extraction. My priority is Safety first!!

From all the e-waste that i collect, i must say that 90% works in perfect conditions... so it makes no sense to break it apart. Yesterday i picked up 2 Laser printers in perfect conditions and i intend to use them here at my office and keep on selling them second hand so that it fulfills someones needs. I really hate good stuff being thrown away just because it doesn't shine on the outside anymore, so i now have a 22inch monitor, some 19 inch monitors for my testing area and some Pentium IV with loads of RAM to keep things running here. I must say that i spent 0$ on my office equipment even though i had to go pick it up in my car. The gas an time were paid by 2 Tons of Scrap metal just this month.

I don't see the point of using cases in steel and have to be happy about having a PC tower that is 70% empty in it's volume. I reorganize the components to a laptop volume and use desk drawers as casings... plus i have locks to secure their opening for maintenance and upgrading. Cooling devices are pretty easy to hook up and fans are very abundant since lot's of them come in Power supplies that just blown the fuse or some condenser inside.

THAT IS THE GOAL! I use whatever component that still works on what i like to call "automated furniture", and through recycling i get lots of developed and miniaturized technology for free, plus i'm doing a good thing for the environment and create lots of jobs.
I will make some experiments as i go along in my research, and i will gladly share the most cost effective procedures to get value from e-waste, in order to achieve a 100% index of recycling or reusing all kinds of materials, hoping to have your comments and suggestions about your own ideas and McGuyver thoughts, as i'm pretty sure that all you are enthusiasts on this matter.

I'll be posting further in the most appropriate sections of the forum and feel free to discuss any matter of my Op domain.
Thank you all for your patience, since i've noticed that some questions are answered over and over to newbies like me on the forum. But i must say that it kinda makes me feel welcome to share info with you. Congrats to Noxx for the forum, as it turns out to be a worldwide reference on this subject.

Paul

 

[nickvc]

I like the sound of what you are doing and hope you really do have great success.The harvesting of the worthwhile gold plated parts will take either some research or good advice and the forum is full of members who have been doing this for years so do some research and find out what is worth the effort and then decide if you want to refine or recover the gold or sell the parts as they are. If you decide to recover the gold yourself it will involve some pretty strong acids but if you follow the posts of the members and moderators you will be safe and so will your environment, and if you have any questions or worries post them on here and help is on hand.