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Bullion.Forum
Introduction - chemical engineer interested in sustainable e waste metallurgy
- Thread starter auroboros
- Start date
Help Support Gold Refining Forum:
Welcome to us.
That sourcing is a recurring challenge for us all.
When it goes to the issues you are trying to solve you can already buy key ready machines for this.
Are your tech different than these?
I’m first to admit I’m no expert with e waste but I believe ram is considered high grade and fairly easy to process even by our home refiners here on the forum.
If you wish to make a difference to cleaning up the e waste pile then you need to look at the products we currently ship to the large recovery companies, basically the low grade material that small time refiners cannot make pay.
If you wish to make a difference to cleaning up the e waste pile then you need to look at the products we currently ship to the large recovery companies, basically the low grade material that small time refiners cannot make pay.
This is the challenge we all face, and controlled pyrolysis is the best we can do on the small to medium size refinery circuit. However you too seem to be having issues with it.
Technology readiness levels are something that has been around for a while. I have worked for some companies in metals recovery that used the terminology and as far as my interpretation it was an easy way to impress the bosses who had no idea what was happening and only cared about advancing TRL levels to imply progress. Since you are currently at TRL 1, the lowest level which is basically observing and reporting the issue with examples puts you on a level with refiners who know it exists and use the BACT (best available control technology) to comply with regulations.
Bottom line, you. have progressed as much as most of the industry has on this part of the issue.
This level which you have attained, level 4 basically means you haven't started yet but your performance goals might be attainable. You have a long way to go to top out at level 9.
We have members here currently operating and attaining these levels using methodology we have posted here in our library.
If you would like to start a meaningful thread about this issue we have members who would opt to participate for sure, but you may have to drop the "impress the corporate board speak" and speak plainly. We strive to be refiners helping refiners not refiners trying to dupe each other.
Last edited:
Darkthirty
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2016
- Messages
- 315
If you can't blind them with brilliance, baffle them with BS ...Yes, the topic starter's message sounds like: we are working on developing a wheel....
Sorry...
(edited to remove inappropriate word)
We are not here, or I am not here, to discourage the OP's participation, I simply want him to understand they are not exactly all that far ahead of members doing this and a meaningful conversation can benefit everyone.
Perhaps you may want to look at companies that already have created this service. https://boardsort.com/ is an example of a company that does what you are describing.
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2023
- Messages
- 156
Welcome. This community is a common target for scrupuless players. We get all kinds from every country in the world.
A lot of the members here have decades of experience from every level of refining, dealing and education. The moderators -while sometimes harsh- do a good job at vetting out insincerity and keeping people safe while guiding education.
Regardless of your education level, there is an enormous amount to learn and a lot you can contribute by " putting the cookies on the lowest shelf" so everyone can reach them.
So please keep us along for your ride as you work through your issues.
Best,
~Dreamer
You've generated quite a bit of conversation from your intro, that's for sure. Welcome to the forum. I wish you good luck with your endeavors and look forward to seeing some future posts about how your journey goes and what questions you may have. This forum sees all sorts of questions, from pictures of rocks (ps. it's just a rock without an assay), to e-scrap, to jewelers sweeps, to bullion (there is a new forum for this now), to chemistry, and beyond. We also see quite a few shills and scammers as well, because... well gold.
I don't believe anyone is trying to dissuade you from your adventure into e-scrap refining, but please take a bit of time to read about it here. It's a challenging topic, as the amount of precious metal in e-scrap is minimal for the amount to be consumed, there are lots of other "things" (tin, lead, etc) that complicates that refining. Some refiners here believe it's just not worth it, for the amount of time put in unless you're getting your e-waste for free. Then there is still storage, transport, and the waste material to deal with. You added into the eco-friendly part to your adventure, but most of these chemicals reactions and their waste are no where close to eco-friendly.
Feel free to dig in, ask a few questions after you've searched the forum for the topic and by all means, please read Hoke's Book, which is in my signature block. While it doesn't cover e-scrap, because there was none in Calm Hoke's time, it does explain how to deal with things like lead, tin, waste management from refining, along with the all important Safety. As a chemical engineer, you're familiar with strong acids and bases, toxic fumes, and not pouring this stuff down the drain.
Good luck and welcome!
Elemental
I don't believe anyone is trying to dissuade you from your adventure into e-scrap refining, but please take a bit of time to read about it here. It's a challenging topic, as the amount of precious metal in e-scrap is minimal for the amount to be consumed, there are lots of other "things" (tin, lead, etc) that complicates that refining. Some refiners here believe it's just not worth it, for the amount of time put in unless you're getting your e-waste for free. Then there is still storage, transport, and the waste material to deal with. You added into the eco-friendly part to your adventure, but most of these chemicals reactions and their waste are no where close to eco-friendly.
Feel free to dig in, ask a few questions after you've searched the forum for the topic and by all means, please read Hoke's Book, which is in my signature block. While it doesn't cover e-scrap, because there was none in Calm Hoke's time, it does explain how to deal with things like lead, tin, waste management from refining, along with the all important Safety. As a chemical engineer, you're familiar with strong acids and bases, toxic fumes, and not pouring this stuff down the drain.
Good luck and welcome!
Elemental
I believe the OP has decided to leave the forum, obviously not the welcome he was expecting , it’s a shame as he could really learn the techniques that are been used and perhaps develop a decent process to achieve some of his goals but trying to claim any green credentials in this science is similar to claiming you are breeding unicorns, we all try to be as environmentally friendly as possible but there is no totally friendly process I know of.
I’m open to other opinions and happy to be proved wrong.
I’m open to other opinions and happy to be proved wrong.
Was it something I said!
This thread can still yield valuable discussion, I do hope @auroboros was not scared off.
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2023
- Messages
- 156
I did say "Sometimes" not this time.
I do notice that the OP has begun to delete his account for "deconstructive feedback". Interesting thing is he came back early in the morning and deleted most of his original post leaving only the cheery first line and deleting his description of his progress to date, or more accurately, his lack of progress to date. Thanks to @Yggdrasil copying his first thread in response, all can still see his first post in its entirety.
A good thing he are leaving volountary then. I think that would have been a cause for banning.
Well, first time just a warning. It is a good practice to copy a post in the first response to put the original post out of reach for deletion.
Unfortunately the OP decided we were tough on him, or I was tough on him, but if he felt he had to reach out to move his project forward he will be surprised just how closed mouth this industry is and how much he will lose by folding his cards and scurrying off.
I blame this on the fragility of the new generations and their entitlment attitudes.
They really do not take resistance well.
And then again I may be wrong.
We have had our fair share of older members who exuded their sense of entitlement as well! I think it's more of a human nature thing. Personally I am appreciative when I learn something new from the forum or anywhere, I would never approach a situation with the attitude something is owed to me. That just ensures you will get less.
