New member here!!!

propellanttech · Dec 28, 2013

I've been lurking for a while, and I'm not big on introducing myself until I have something to report (usually), but I figure this time I'll do it differently.

I'm an old jar head (45 yrs old), and I'm well educated about most things. I figured I would give e scrap recovery a whirl. I know at first I'll be lucky to break even, but I have little to loose.

I have an excellent source of materials. My brother works in the biomedical technician field, so he gets a lot of e scrap. The boards are usually high quality (liability and all).

I have been reading and trying soak up what I can. Getting older is not a great thing, for I have found I do not learn as fast as I did in the past.

I would like to make a suggestion for the moderators. Please take this as a positive idea, and not a pushy demand. A sticky of a post similar to this (http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=194528#p194528 telling WHY the learning is so important will help many new comers. Sometimes a new person needs to know why to learn the material first (the reason why, in more detail). The post tells why learning the information works and the mechanics behind it without any liability on the posters part. He doesn't tell the specific chemical information, just the process steps and why they are important. It really was an eye opener for me, and another reason I chose to post now.

I hope I can learn enough to not make mistake that will cause a loss of value, but I will learn enough to be safe. Safety is always first in my endeavors. I have two years of high school chemistry, so I do know the dangers of the chemicals.

Glad to meet you all,

James L

butcher · Dec 29, 2013

propellanttech,
I do not know about making that a post it, too many post its it gets hard to find things.

I do not think that even begins to cover even a small portion of the basics, recovery and refining is fairly simple once you learn it, but it can be complicated for some to even begin to learn, especially if they see a few videos on you tubes and think that is simple, all I have to do is mix two dangerous acids, dissolve a few circuit boards and melt pure gold.

I remember seeing on TV, men flying in a rocket and landing and walking on the moon, when I was younger, for some reason I didn't get the bright Idea to try it, or think I could do it (at least without educating myself a little more first), recovery and refining may not be that complicated, but it is not something you could jump into, and expect to be successful without educating yourself first.

I think you will do just fine here and in your learning to recover and refine metals.

You are already past the hard part, most of us have, of jumping off the cliff into the unknown, without even having spent the time to learn that we may need a parachute, or to find out there is a lot easier way down.

Welcome to the forum.

propellanttech · Dec 29, 2013

Butcher,

Thanks for the kind welcome.

I've been reading through Hoke's book (obtained here), and find it quite enlightening. So I do have some idea of the process flow chart. It would have to be presented as a flow chart, for every decision (or situation possibly) provides a different path of action.

It is the detective method that makes me interested. There is no one set path to take with recovery of gold. Each item will need slightly different process depending on how and what is mixed with the gold.

I'm a problem solver, and I'm good at it, so this is right up my alley.

Hope to see more of you and the others on here,

James L

Edited for spelling and tense.

nickvc · Dec 29, 2013

If you like solving problems or finding several if not more methods or processes then refining and recovery will suit you admirably, there are many ways to process most materials depending on its makeup, availability of chemicals, personal preferences, actual result required and whether it's to be processed further.
Welcome to the forum, good luck and happy studying.