jimmyreece
Well-known member
what is the best process recomended for recovering gold from these boards and would it be efficent enough to get at the several layers of the gold foil in these boards with out having to break all of them up?
old thick circut boards
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Is there supposed to be a picture?
jimmyreece
Well-known member
no i didnt take a picture, but with or with out a picture,does anyone have an opinion on the most efficant method used to recover gold from the gold foil in older circut boards....even circut boards in genral (concerning the gold foil within)
Use the search function and read read read.
patnor1011
Well-known member
jimmyreece said:
In my opinion it cant be done with profit in home or shed. That is why there are big refiners in place as process require huge investments in equipment. You can recover gold which is visible, sometimes with success but it depend on type of board. They have to be "prepared" - depopulated as much as possible, solder removed.
Too much work for average joe like me to accomplish and gain profit.
The only method is to hoard huge amounts and send them for refining to one of those places. You will get paid for copper too which is over 80% of actual metal content and over 50% of actuall weight of boards.
jimmyreece,
"concerning the gold foil within"
You must be talking about muti-layer boards. Why would anyone use precious metal on inner layer runs where they are protected from corrosion with layers of plastic? The main reason for using gold is when mechanical connections are made as in plugs and sockets. Inner layer circuitry that requires a plug or socket connection would be brought to an outer layer with a plated through hole. There should be nothing inside that board other than copper and plastic. Torch a small piece OUTSIDE and prove it to yourself.
FrugalEE
"concerning the gold foil within"
You must be talking about muti-layer boards. Why would anyone use precious metal on inner layer runs where they are protected from corrosion with layers of plastic? The main reason for using gold is when mechanical connections are made as in plugs and sockets. Inner layer circuitry that requires a plug or socket connection would be brought to an outer layer with a plated through hole. There should be nothing inside that board other than copper and plastic. Torch a small piece OUTSIDE and prove it to yourself.
FrugalEE
jimmyreece
Well-known member
i have read them pinman. and thanks for your knowledgable and very unhelpful input once again. it doesnt hurt to get to advice,different opinons and shared experince from different people does it? i mean thats why i joined is to learn from the ones who know and maybe somone will discover a new or different way thatmight be effective. thats why i ask.
jimmyreece
Well-known member
thanks patnor1011, you given me some real information that i can use and learn from.....
jimmyreece
Well-known member
why then is gold used on the outside of newer boards that are not sockets or connectors and have a protective film over it? its protected from corrosion, they could of used copper instead but they used gold. just like i have in these boards , four layers of gold plated copper film. but only plated on one side of each of the layers
No need to get snippy. Had you used he search function like I suggested you would have discovered this has been covered multiple times. Yet another silver spoon.
Those boards must have been designed for a very harsh environment high humidity and possibly salt spray. Solder resist alone doesn't completely seal under high temp combined with high humidity, hence the use of gold especially on top layer. You apparently have had access to some of the design specs. Do you also know the plating thickness? It's probably pretty thin making it easy to accept what Patnor advised.
PWBs are laminated at high temperatures and I suppose one could use an oven and try to pry the layers apart, but you would have plastic left on the gold surface making it such that acid can't get to the copper substrate and free the gold foils. You would have to use some form of incineration. I've had some experience taking teflon laminated boards apart to find what failed. The sheet adhesive in that case melted at about 400 degrees.
FrugalEE
PWBs are laminated at high temperatures and I suppose one could use an oven and try to pry the layers apart, but you would have plastic left on the gold surface making it such that acid can't get to the copper substrate and free the gold foils. You would have to use some form of incineration. I've had some experience taking teflon laminated boards apart to find what failed. The sheet adhesive in that case melted at about 400 degrees.
FrugalEE
Sorry, It was 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I just did a bit of checking on more normal boards. FR-4, a glass epoxy laminate that is fire resistant is a very common board used. I found one reference that they are laminated at 375 degrees F at pressure of 275 to 400 PSI.
jimmyreece
Well-known member
thanks frugaLEE and sorry bout that pinman
No worries.
dtectr
Well-known member
You should take your boards directly to the bank & get a loan on them for exactly what you think they're worth!
jimmyreece
Well-known member
what i think they are worth? you need to stop breathing them chemicals,or learn how to read.i never said they were worth anything
patnor1011
Well-known member
I remember at least 3-4 discussions concerning gold plating inside boarts or multi layer boards. Few memebers try hard to get that gold to no avail. Too labor and chemicals intensive - conclusion was that it is not worth. You can find a lot more if you use search function on lasersteve signature line.
Here is one thread I found in a hurry:
http://www.goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=6779&hilit=gold+inside+board
You can try to go after that gold. For everyones sake do as much pictures and notes as possible and feel free to share with readers. Maybe you can find some process or technique Which can be acceptable when we think porfit/wise. Sorry for my english but hope everyone understand what I mean.
Here is one thread I found in a hurry:
http://www.goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=6779&hilit=gold+inside+board
You can try to go after that gold. For everyones sake do as much pictures and notes as possible and feel free to share with readers. Maybe you can find some process or technique Which can be acceptable when we think porfit/wise. Sorry for my english but hope everyone understand what I mean.
Patnor - your english is fine - better than many of us for whom it is our native language.
jimmyreece - Nearly every one of us on the board who process escrap "cherry pick" the easy stuff and sell the boards to someone who is equipped to handle them efficiently and safely. Incinerating is probably the best way to process them but you need to be equipped to do it in a way that doesn't damage the environment or you, and doesn't draw the attention of government agencies. A proper incinerator with afterburner and/or scrubbing capabilities is beyond the means of most of us backyard refiners.
If you put 20 to 30 pounds of boards on eBay you'll find several people will message you and ask if you have quantities available. In no time you'll have a way to turn those boards into cash that you can use to buy material that's easier to process. I use the money to buy more silver and gold outright. It also provides money for more glassware and chemicals.
After a few months or years of processing the easy stuff and gaining experience you may have the skills needed to process the more difficult scrap. I personally decided long ago to "take the money and run".
FWIW
jimmyreece - Nearly every one of us on the board who process escrap "cherry pick" the easy stuff and sell the boards to someone who is equipped to handle them efficiently and safely. Incinerating is probably the best way to process them but you need to be equipped to do it in a way that doesn't damage the environment or you, and doesn't draw the attention of government agencies. A proper incinerator with afterburner and/or scrubbing capabilities is beyond the means of most of us backyard refiners.
If you put 20 to 30 pounds of boards on eBay you'll find several people will message you and ask if you have quantities available. In no time you'll have a way to turn those boards into cash that you can use to buy material that's easier to process. I use the money to buy more silver and gold outright. It also provides money for more glassware and chemicals.
After a few months or years of processing the easy stuff and gaining experience you may have the skills needed to process the more difficult scrap. I personally decided long ago to "take the money and run".
FWIW
