steadyhand
New member
Hiya!
I'm a budding jeweler/watchmaker and I love chemistry!
I have a lot of ewaste PCBs, etc.. available so I thought I'd learn what all it takes to pull the gold, silver, etc..
Been watching YT videos. Lots of ways to go!
I'm not particularly fond of incineration or heavy chemical consumption because Earth and all.
I'm more drawn to electrolysis and closed-cycle processes.
Some OTC chems are fine though: HCl, NaOH, HClO, H2SO4
My guiding idea is that it all could be done in a closed space, but then of course do it in a fume hood vented outside.
My thinking is that when it's working well there's nothing to ventilate. Modern chemical plants are designed this way.
For example, to get au chloride, choose HCl+bleach instead of AR.
Cl2 gas is easily trapped/eliminated with pool dechlor. NOx not so much.
Thinking about how to maintain conductivity in a sulfuric stripping cell.
That needs any PCB pad to be connected to the anode.
Maybe use steel pins stirred with magnets ala a magnetic pin polisher?
Problem is that shields the gold too much. Maybe high stirring of electrolyte helps that?
I'm not liking the 'dissolve it all' approach.
But maybe that lends itself to copper recovery as well.
Just ordered CM Hoke. Will probably answer a lot of questions...
Glad to join!
I'm a budding jeweler/watchmaker and I love chemistry!
I have a lot of ewaste PCBs, etc.. available so I thought I'd learn what all it takes to pull the gold, silver, etc..
Been watching YT videos. Lots of ways to go!
I'm not particularly fond of incineration or heavy chemical consumption because Earth and all.
I'm more drawn to electrolysis and closed-cycle processes.
Some OTC chems are fine though: HCl, NaOH, HClO, H2SO4
My guiding idea is that it all could be done in a closed space, but then of course do it in a fume hood vented outside.
My thinking is that when it's working well there's nothing to ventilate. Modern chemical plants are designed this way.
For example, to get au chloride, choose HCl+bleach instead of AR.
Cl2 gas is easily trapped/eliminated with pool dechlor. NOx not so much.
Thinking about how to maintain conductivity in a sulfuric stripping cell.
That needs any PCB pad to be connected to the anode.
Maybe use steel pins stirred with magnets ala a magnetic pin polisher?
Problem is that shields the gold too much. Maybe high stirring of electrolyte helps that?
I'm not liking the 'dissolve it all' approach.
But maybe that lends itself to copper recovery as well.
Just ordered CM Hoke. Will probably answer a lot of questions...
Glad to join!
