How to procede

[lawsonland]

Hi,
I have obtained gold plated military parts. Some connectors, aluminum covers etc. The base under the gold is either nickel or copper. What would be the easiest/cheapest/safest way to remove the gold?

 

[Shecker]

Just a thought. HCl will attack the aluminum, nickel, and copper and leave any pm's behind in small pieces or even powder form. The only question is are the connectors still mounted in they're rubber mounting? If so they will have to be removed. The outside aluminum piece can be cut off. You might try this approach.

Randy in Gunnison

 

[lawsonland]

Hi,
Thanks,
I was reading up and thinking of using muratic acid and peroxide. The connectors are actually small SMA RF connectors. I'm not sure what the main metal is but they are plated with gold.
What is the best way, environmentally, to dispose of the acid after?

 

[Rag and Bone]

You might consider stripping with the sulfuric cell. It would take a huge amount of AP to dissolve all the base metals. If the plating is as thin as the typical SMA RF connectors it's probably not worth the effort. A forum member (forgot who, Banjangs maybe?) stripped many pounds of them and only got a gram or two.