I need advice please.

[peterross149968]

These are ram chips and some others. What is the best way to safely break the chips down to their component elements, before separating them one at a time. In what order, I'm yet to discover. But brain storming, I am considering:
1. Crushing
2. Incineration
3. Boiling in H2SO4 (dangerous)
4. Boiling in HCl
5. Any other suggested ideas to take into consideration.
I have several large quantities of electronic components to breakdown before separating the metal elements.
I humbly welcome suggestions.

 

[peterross149968]

Problem A

I have been removing these tiny MLCCs off thousands of CPUs. Does anyone know what precious metals make up these?

 

[orvi]

Learn how to incinerate properly. Try small batches and search this forum, this was thoroughly discussed in the past, in myriad of therads from every perspective you can imagine.
Other methods are more hazardous and more expensive. Oxygen is free, sulfuric acid is not.

To the MLCC issue, some may contain palladium, but from my experience in bulk modern MLCCs yield just several grams Pd per kilogram. With few % of Ag per weight. But in order to get it, you will need to either dissolve them in HCL (nasty, lot of toxic barium/lead waste produced) or smelt them (better option). Never put MLCCs to the AR or nitric.

 

[Martijn]

Thid thread gives an idea of how to process them and their yield. .
https://goldrefiningforum.com/threa...ic-types-of-ic-chips-flatpacks-and-bga.22951/

 

[Dreamer]

These are ram chips and some others. What is the best way to safely break the chips down to their component elements, before separating them one at a time. In what order, I'm yet to discover. But brain storming, I am considering:
1. Crushing
2. Incineration
3. Boiling in H2SO4 (dangerous)
4. Boiling in HCl
5. Any other suggested ideas to take into consideration.
I have several large quantities of electronic components to breakdown before separating the metal elements.
I humbly welcome suggestions.View attachment 57496

I just boil them in HCl, incinerate, grind them to a powder, classify with a #60 screen, screen out the copper and pull out ferrous metal with a magnet and gravity seperate the ash. The sediment can be further concentrated with panning or you can go to acid right from there. It works pretty well for me. My yields have been 1.5-2gms per Kg of post HCl washed memory chips. Hope this helps.

 

[peterross149968]

Learn how to incinerate properly. Try small batches and search this forum, this was thoroughly discussed in the past, in myriad of therads from every perspective you can imagine.
Other methods are more hazardous and more expensive. Oxygen is free, sulfuric acid is not.

To the MLCC issue, some may contain palladium, but from my experience in bulk modern MLCCs yield just several grams Pd per kilogram. With few % of Ag per weight. But in order to get it, you will need to either dissolve them in HCL (nasty, lot of toxic barium/lead waste produced) or smelt them (better option). Never put MLCCs to the AR or nitric.

I partially incinerated some RAM chips but I am sorry, I chickened out because of the lime green smoke and noxious smell. I panicked.
I'm now contemplating introducing a iron pipe feed of O2 (either neat O2 gas from an O2 cylinder, or just simply an air feed) into the bottom of the graphite crucible to boost the burn.
What dangers must I be aware of? I know O2 doesn't burn but supports combustion.
What constructive criticism can you give me. Help please.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

A graphite crucible is not a good choice for incineration. As you incinerate your material, you'll also be incinerating your crucible.

Go to a thrift store and buy a stainless steel frying pan. The large flat bottom and low sides allow you to spread your material out in a thin layer that allows air to get to it all.

No need for oxygen. Air is fine.

Do NOT breathe the fumes.

Dave

 

[orvi]

I partially incinerated some RAM chips but I am sorry, I chickened out because of the lime green smoke and noxious smell. I panicked.
I'm now contemplating introducing a iron pipe feed of O2 (either neat O2 gas from an O2 cylinder, or just simply an air feed) into the bottom of the graphite crucible to boost the burn.
What dangers must I be aware of? I know O2 doesn't burn but supports combustion.
What constructive criticism can you give me. Help please.

Study this forum, there is plentiful information about proper incineration process. Air is key - you need temperature and enough air to properly burn any pyrolysis products. Then you are left with carbon residue, which you then need to cook to burn off all carbon. It is very beneficial to have good surface area - that is why Dave is suggesting to use stainless steel flat bottom pan. Do not use plain iron, because it will also slowly burn in the air. Stainless is much more durable and longer lived. Use everything stainless if you can.
You need to manage the onset of the pyrolysis-burning process slowly, otherwise too much volatiles is produced = big flame = not enough oxygen delivered = smoking and smell (toxic stuff will leave the furnance). You need to start slow, and best is to replace torch with heagun capable of doing 600 °C. Because torch depletes air of oxygen. Heatgun don´t.

 

[kurtak]

These are ram chips and some others. What is the best way to safely break the chips down to their component elements, before separating them one at a time. In what order, I'm yet to discover. But brain storming, I am considering:
1. Crushing
2. Incineration
3. Boiling in H2SO4 (dangerous)
4. Boiling in HCl
5. Any other suggested ideas to take into consideration.
I have several large quantities of electronic components to breakdown before separating the metal elements.
I humbly welcome suggestions.

I used to process 500 - 600 plus pounds of IC chips per year (for about 6 - 7 years) & so I have posted a HUGE amount of info on this forum about the process(s) of processing IC chip

Soooooo - I am not about to spend a lot of time posting another long post about how to process IC chips because there is already a HUGE amount of info already posted right here on this forum

Sooooo - it is up to you to do your own research to find that info (we have a search function here on the forum - use it)

Use key words like IC chips - incineration - milling - smelting --- with me as the author (by kurtak) & you will find a HUGE amount of info concerning processing IC chips - & in that info you will find LOTS of info posted by not just me but by others

Kurt

 

[peterross149968]

A graphite crucible is not a good choice for incineration. As you incinerate your material, you'll also be incinerating your crucible.

Go to a thrift store and buy a stainless steel frying pan. The large flat bottom and low sides allow you to spread your material out in a thin layer that allows air to get to it all.

No need for oxygen. Air is fine.

Do NOT breathe the fumes.

Dave

Thank you Dave. You saved me from destroying a good graphite crucible. Peter.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

You're welcome. I gave only the briefest response. As Orvi and Kurt have said, there has been a lot written about pyrolysis and incineration.

Dave