New to this forum - and to refining gold...

[Heather.t84]

I put my basic story in my profile info not thinking it might be more widely received to post it directly to the forum wall! Lol so here i go again...

I bought a storage unit in the summer. It was filled with computer towers, phones, modems, hard drive banks, printers... any kind of office equipment you can think of and lots of it. I have FINALLY finished breaking down all the equimpent, removed all the copper wire and aluminum parts from thw circuit boards and now want to extract all the gold. I have what feels like a million motherboards, IC chips, Memory cards... all the things. I now need clear instructions on the chemical process of removing the gold from these parts so i can melt it down and sell it.

This has been my life's work (aside from my busy schedule as a mother of 6 small children) for the last 6 months. I have bits of motherboard and copper lodged in my hands and face and i never want to open another computer tower EVER again. I MUST extract as MUCH gold as possible to make this all worth it. Please, you all seem to be the people to ask! Please tell me i am in the right place and instruct me, oh wise ones!!! I am a sponge ready to learn the ways.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

 

[Heather.t84]

I put my basic story in my profile info not thinking it might be more widely received to post it directly to the forum wall! Lol so here i go again...

I bought a storage unit in the summer. It was filled with computer towers, phones, modems, hard drive banks, printers... any kind of office equipment you can think of and lots of it. I have FINALLY finished breaking down all the equimpent, removed all the copper wire and aluminum parts from thw circuit boards and now want to extract all the gold. I have what feels like a million motherboards, IC chips, Memory cards... all the things. I now need clear instructions on the chemical process of removing the gold from these parts so i can melt it down and sell it.

This has been my life's work (aside from my busy schedule as a mother of 6 small children) for the last 6 months. I have bits of motherboard and copper lodged in my hands and face and i never want to open another computer tower EVER again. I MUST extract as MUCH gold as possible to make this all worth it. Please, you all seem to be the people to ask! Please tell me i am in the right place and instruct me, oh wise ones!!! I am a sponge ready to learn the ways.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Edit: Mother of *3* small children! Not 6! Lol

 

[kurtak]

Hello Heather & welcome to the forum

Yes you came to the right place to discuss what you have & the best way to get the value from it

You need to be aware that in order to extract/recover the precious metals from electronic circuit boards requires the use of corrosive & toxic chemicals & then when you start dissolving metals with those chemicals you create even more toxic solutions - & toxic waste solutions that need to be dealt with

Don't be discouraged by what I just said as there are safe ways to do this IF you have a place to properly set up to do it - & we can help with that also

Somethings are "relatively" easy to process - other things can be very difficult to process

We need to know more about just what you have & as well more about you situation for doing actual processing

So pics of what you have would be good

Also your situation for where you intend to set up to do it - backyard - out buildings (shed) garage (attached to house or not attached to house --- you CAN NOT do this in your house &/or an apartment !!!

With 3 small kids you may be better served just to sell out right to a buyer - we can help you with that - how & where to get the best value by out right selling

Or if your situation is right - help with processing the easier to process stuff & sell the harder to process stuff - or ???

Your profile says Cambridge ON - do you mean Cambridge Ohio (OH) --- there is a Cambridge in the UK also

Knowing where you are helps with getting things you may need &/or with selling

Kurt

 

[Heather.t84]

Thanks for the quick reply! I will take pics of the stuff i have today at some point and share them here.

So firstly I'm from Cambridge, Ontario in Canada! canuck girl up here!

I have taken the time to make myself aware of the potentially dangerous chemicals required to make this happen. I have a shed in my backyard that has proper ventilation and a lock for its door, i believe it's actually an ideal spot for setting up, my kids will not get anywhere near it. I have already purchased elbow length rubber gloves, a full length rubber apron and a good mask from the hardware store graded for chemical fumes. As well as hydrochloric acid, 2 PVC buckets and peroxide. I had planned to drill holes in the bottom of one of the buckets to use it as a strainer of sorts to be able to check on the process.

I disassembled probably close to 50 computer towers and took apart the around the same number of phones and headsets. So IC chips, memory cards and motherboards, as well as the "mother boards" in telephone headsets (which have a pleasantly surprising amount of gold inside them) and phones themselves (hard wired ones, not cells) as well as the insides of modems (less gold more aluminum/copper in those) and the insides of some smart tv's as well (the strip along the bottom of them i discovered is edged fully with gold fingers).
I snapped some pics of a few of the things i deacribed above and attached them. Multiply all those by around 40-50 each and that's around how many things i will be processing. The round thing is the inside of a wireless headset which thought was actually pretry cool!! Lol

So what do you think? Did i give enough info to get started? Ask away if you need to know anything else!

Thanks and happy new year!

 

[kurtak]

I have taken the time to make myself aware of the potentially dangerous chemicals required to make this happen

Very good - sounds like you are a smart girl & you are not the first & only smart girl we have/had on this forum

I have a shed in my backyard that has proper ventilation and a lock for its door, i believe it's actually an ideal spot for setting up, my kids will not get anywhere near it.

Also very good - it's good to know you have a place for setting up to do this safely

Trust me - we have seen A LOT of people doing this in such away that they were poisoning their pets - kids & everyone/anyone coming into there back yard

Kurt

 

[FrugalRefiner]

From your first posts, it sounds like this will be a one-time effort. Personally, I would suggest sorting everything and selling it all as is.

Different materials require different processes. The gold from some plated materials can be recovered by the AP process, then refined. Other plated materials, like pins, are better processed in a sulfuric stripping cell. Ceramic ICs can be broken into pieces then processed in AR. Epoxy ICs require pyrolysis, incineration, then chemical refining. Then you have to treat and properly dispose of all the toxic waste that is created.

If you're planning to continue this in the future, it may all be worth gearing up for. If it's a one-time effort, sell it, let the buyer make their profit for handling it, and save all the money, time, and effort, and buy some gold and/or silver from the sale.

Dave

 

[Martijn]

Welcome to the forum.
I think the easiest and safest process to start learning this craft is AP, short for Acid Peroxide.
Its a copper chloride leach process that slowly eats away copper underneath plated gold so it releases from the curcuit board or pin.
You can filter out the gold foils and learn how to further refine the gold with that bit.

But as said, start with studying safety and how to deal with the waste you will create.

You can start cutting plated contact fingers from computer boards and memory cards for this process. Keep any components and solder off the cut fingers. These are the easiest parts to get the gold from. Plated pins and some CPU's can be processed with AP as well.

We'll get to the harder components once you've mastered these basics.

Before you mix any chemicals ask us first to review if you plan is good. We can prevent most problems if we discuss them first.

Martijn.

 

[Heather.t84]

Welcome to the forum.
I think the easiest and safest process to start learning this craft is AP, short for Acid Peroxide.
Its a copper chloride leach process that slowly eats away copper underneath plated gold so it releases from the curcuit board or pin.
You can filter out the gold foils and learn how to further refine the gold with that bit.

But as said, start with studying safety and how to deal with the waste you will create.

You can start cutting plated contact fingers from computer boards and memory cards for this process. Keep any components and solder off the cut fingers. These are the easiest parts to get the gold from. Plated pins and some CPU's can be processed with AP as well.

We'll get to the harder components once you've mastered these basics.

Before you mix any chemicals ask us first to review if you plan is good. We can prevent most problems if we discuss them first.

Martijn.

Wonderful advice. I know it might be easier for me to just sell everythjng as is, but I DONT WANNA! lol i have spent so many hours taking these things apart that i need to see it through. Start to finish, farm-to-table attitude but more like office-to-bank account LOL i will update as i go. I appreciate all the help!

 

[goldshark]

I saw a video either posted here, or on Youtube, about processing e scrap on an industrial scale. They were operating at a loss, but working on streamlining their process, to where it eventually makes money.They were processing totes of waste per day. I don't mean to be negative, but can some members of this forum, express to others interested in processing this stuff, what the real world costs of recovery, to refined, is? Maybe a bottom line cost per refined gram, or Troy ounce? A spread sheet of some sort, might discourage some people from attempting these rather involved procedures. To those reading this, you may ask why would we discourage this on GRF? The experienced members know how involved it gets. Proper lab wear, including vessels, lab, hoods, electrowinning equipment (if used), furnaces and associated hardware, chemicals, haz mat disposal, security ( small children will eventually get into every thing), and a few more things I may not have mentioned. I know this is an interesting endeavor, and most do it for the interest, but in the end, has anyone on here ever really made a profit? I know that labor is the biggest cost, so if you made a profit, what would your hourly pay be?
Just a Single Wild Ass Guess, but I doubt you will walk away with less then an Ounce of refined Au. I am not negative, but very realistic. I hope you take this the right way. Best of luck, or skill, on what ever you decide to do.

 

[Martijn]

Very valid point goldshark. But for some of us it does not matter.
If you "have to get the gold" because you've invested a lot or need money fast; don't even think about recovering a one time collection yourself. It will not be profitable!! Or you can continue with more high grade waste or carat scrap once you have that priceless experience.

But also: I wonder how much subsidy are the big boys receiving for recycling inside the land of use in stead of shipping to Asia? Like the windmills here in Europe don't run on wind, but on subsidy.

For me it's a hobby to keep my brain busy. Time is not money in this case for me. Not in it for the money. Made me and my wife golden wedding bands, that's more than enough for me. Looking into making silver jewelry now. For friends and fam. Not for sale. Too much rules involved to produce and sell pm's to customers.
If I ever wanted to sell some, I would do it here or on eBay.
Gold traders only insult you with their offer when you come with your proudly refined beauty button.

Which brings me to another point, what will you receive for the gold you've refined? Can the buyer test above 22K or can he verify three nines fine? Then you should leave it at the maximum detectable purity and sell it.

 

[kurtak]

but can some members of this forum, express to others interested in processing this stuff, what the real world costs of recovery, to refined, is?

Yes - I can provide an answer to this as I spent 10 years making a living (profit) handling &/or processing electronic scrap

To put it in proper perspective will require at least one if not several very long posts - which I do not have time for today as I have a doctors appointment today & it is a 3 hour drive one way to that appointment

That said - the short answer is that there is ABSOLUTELY no way - a person in their back yard - can process average run of the mill consumer circuit boards & recover enough value to pay the cost of that recovery --- in other words the cost is going to exceed the value recovered --- this is true (& always true) when we talk about the VAST MAJORITY of consumer circuit boards

However - there is SOME (& only some) stuff that is worth processing & that can be processed at a profit - BUT - even then you have to have enough of it to make it pay - or it is still going to cost you more then you will recover

So you have to be selective - VERY selective - in what you do & don't process - or it will cost you more - even MUCH more then values you recover

I will provide more info - along with examples - when I have more time (maybe tomorrow - more likely day after tomorrow)

Kurt

 

[popslab]

Welcome Heather
I started as a hobby backyard E-scraping about a year and a half ago. Since then i have collected and striped well in excess of 100 towers plus lap tops, and a bunch of assorted electronics. I dedicated a shed to work from, built a fume hood outside and even done some experiments that have yielded some finished product.
I spent the first few months just learning what i was getting into. And since then I continue that habit to expand and learn new a better methods.
I agree with what others have said hear that profit is real slim but if you plan to move forward do this before you buy your first bottle of any acid.
1. Read and research the forum,
2. watch YouTube videos from omegageeks and Sreetips,
and
3. most of all read CM Hoke book twice and take notes.
4. Be patient getting in a hurry can be very costly. Start small.

This is a great and fun enterprising hobby and will definitely keep your mind active. Good luck and refine safe

Rick

 

[jkenned5]

I put my basic story in my profile info not thinking it might be more widely received to post it directly to the forum wall! Lol so here i go again...

I bought a storage unit in the summer. It was filled with computer towers, phones, modems, hard drive banks, printers... any kind of office equipment you can think of and lots of it. I have FINALLY finished breaking down all the equimpent, removed all the copper wire and aluminum parts from thw circuit boards and now want to extract all the gold. I have what feels like a million motherboards, IC chips, Memory cards... all the things. I now need clear instructions on the chemical process of removing the gold from these parts so i can melt it down and sell it.

This has been my life's work (aside from my busy schedule as a mother of 6 small children) for the last 6 months. I have bits of motherboard and copper lodged in my hands and face and i never want to open another computer tower EVER again. I MUST extract as MUCH gold as possible to make this all worth it. Please, you all seem to be the people to ask! Please tell me i am in the right place and instruct me, oh wise ones!!! I am a sponge ready to learn the ways.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

I'm new as well and also in Ontario, goodluck with your adventure. Finding the chemicals for me has been hard for nitric acid. HCL and H2SO4 can be bought at Canadian tire.

 

[stoneware]

Nitric acid, ask for Nancy Cheek.

 

[stoneware]

I'm new as well and also in Ontario, goodluck with your adventure. Finding the chemicals for me has been hard for nitric acid. HCL and H2SO4 can be bought at Canadian tire.

HCL aka muriatic acid maybe purchased from most hardware stores and pool supply stores..

 

[goldshark]

Thanks Kurt, and others. I don't know if you could call back yard refining e-scrap a business, just an interesting hobby. I hope people who inherit a bunch of electronic stuff, will read this post, before making the decision to move forward. Since I don't process e-scrap, I have no idea what the costs will be. If Kurt can put something together, I think it should have its own thread. Something people can read, which stands out from a lot of posts. Sort of a lot of conversations prior to getting to the meat of it all.

 

[Heather.t84]

Wow! I just got through everyone's replies . Thank you all very much for the input! I have already turned a profit on the storage unit that i purchased from all of the number 1 copper, aluminum and stainless steel i recovered from the various electronics and wires (so many friggin wires....), i spent $700 on the unit, and another 150 to store it all for a month and i have pretty much broken even so far, maybe with $100-$200 profit. I have been researching gold refining all summer and fall. Based on the copious amount of e-scrap i have, how much gold is present in the various items and what i have spent thus far on personal protection equipment and chemicals, i do stand to make a tidy profit so long as i keep my remaining costs reasonable. I know i'll need nitric acid (I saw above the comment where to find it so THANKS! i've also seen some "gold recovery chemical kits" that can be purchased online for a reasonable price). If i can recover even 4 grams of gold from all the stuff i have, i am laughing all the way the bank. Based on my calculations, i believe this is a fair, if not very modest, estimation of how much gold i will end up recovering in the end.
I will keep most definitely keep everyone in the loop on my progress and once i am ready to start the chemical process, i will be sure to seek guidance!

 

[malphorian1973]

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet (at least I don't think it has) is for you to find a reputable "toll refiner". They do all the work, use their chemicals, treat their own waste, and keep a portion (between 15% - 30%) of the refined PM's and send you the rest. You can then keep your nice little chunk of gold and your bigger chunk of silver until the price is right to sell. NEST EGG! Regardless of what you decide to do, be carful, keep doing your research, and GOOD LUCK!
P.S. When I say "toll refiner" I am talking about an experienced refiner from either this group, or one of the very good E-waste refine groups on FB. (Always do your research on the refiner, and ask around the group for proof of reputation!) I would not advise anyone to use a "professional" refiner. I'm not saying that they are not out there, I just don't know any that I would trust! Again, good luck Heather.

 

[jkenned5]

Nitric acid, ask for Nancy Cheek.

View attachment 54019

How much do they sell for?

 

[stoneware]

How much do they sell for?

NI7110-2.5L 1NITRIC ACID ACS 69 - 70% 4/CS $77.00