Easy Gold From E-Waste part 1: Gold From Transistors

[@richardhulbert9480]

Adding smb is the smelliest part for sure. My smb was also clumped up so I dissolved it in warm water. I poured it in almost no smell and got a good color change. Then left on vacation. Will see what I get when I get home. I know there is way more gold in e-waste than the two rivers I panned in today. First spot second pan I got 3 flakes got excited but that was it for the day.

[@maartenbuma3527]

Thanks, my friend. This was an interesting video to watch!!

[@meettheworld6241]

Great video dude! I've got a crap load of e waste I've saved up over a couple years and am getting ready to do another refining myself. It's so cool when your good drops and you know you're that close to weighing up your profit! 🤙👍

[@Stalkerrob20]

I love these e-waste gold video's keep em comin!

[@sandheaver44]

Some early transistors are worth a lot to collectors. For example, the red top-hat transistors look like early Raytheon silicon transistors, which are worth a good $5 to $10 each to collectors, maybe more.

[@carlfudger4528]

The transistor value far exceeds the gold scrap value. If they were used I wouldn't care but they are all new.

[@rockman531]

Hi Mike, Another great video! You've peaked my curiosity - need to check how many gold transistors I've got?? Always learning from your videos! Thumbs up! Have a great day! Jim

[@timtoolman4125]

Ordered the XRF machine today. Will see if the Indonesia company is a good company to work with.

[@Alrik.]

Great stuff Mike!

[@Ken.Kaniff.From.Conn.]

Great video

[@networkg]

Some of those old cpus might be worth more intact than scrapped.

[@richardhulbert9480]

Gold on the bottom of the beaker is good. I suck at estimating it seems. Last drop thought i may hit a gram. Only got .7 after drying.still my gold vial is filling up.

[@empirefinds]

Awesome return brother your experiments go on my component weights database. Awesome episode more more more brother

[@afineliner740]

That's a pretty good yield Mike.

[@keithrodman9318]

Nice. Just about 1% yield? Isn't that pretty close to what yield you get with the gold corner BGA's? Looking forward to seeing the next video in this series!

[@colonialcharlie8702]

Wow nice! I keep waiting to do cap transistors. I have a nice amount waiting, but one big disassemble needed first that I have been putting off. It is loaded with them. A 1967 GE 2-30 VTR. Things so old that the only Pic online I could find matching it is the original advert.

[@ExtractingMetals]

I think you are dreading doing the purple ceramic ic chips. Been waiting forever to see you do those. Even did a large batch of them myself. I got a 4% gold recovery by weight.

[@omegageek64]

Not dreading them. Just no time to do them justice. Plus I have four new boards full of gold plated ceramic chips I haven't had time to depopulate yet. I want to add them to the pile before doing them all. I'm crazy busy at present.

[@ExtractingMetals]

@@omegageek64 look forward to seeing how you do it. When I did it, my entire solution turned into a thick brown mud. Never had that happen before but I managed to recover from it.

[@johnprice867]

Just curious if your "waste liquid" would make a good electrolyte for perhaps a homemade copper iron or Nicole iron battery? I have 0 chemistry knowledge but love finding ways to repurpose waste and trash

[@patchvonbraun]

I'll point out that if this were gold *ore*, it would be the richest such ore ever mined! Mines that produce 30-70g/tonne are considered commercially viable. At 1% gold by mass, an ore that produced 10kg/tonne would be utterly unheard of!

[@rschiwal]

I would try this, but I don't think I would actually make any money. By my calculations, using today's gold price, you've grossed $52, minus the cost of your chemicals.

[@brianbonenberger8054]

But how much will that appreciate over time with the rising price of gold? I think a good amt of people do it for the hobby and consider it an investment in their efforts.

[@omegageek64]

I'm doing it as a hobby. I used almost the bare minimum of inexpensive chemicals. Probably only $2 worth at most. It can be done even less expensively, if you don't mind the reaction taking a few weeks. This was more for demonstration purposes. If someone had 10X as many parts laying around to process they could make a lot of money this way. There are a lot of people out there stockpiling gold-plated e-waste.

[@jamisontaylor878]

It's definitely a hobby not a money maker

[@simonkh7278]

You would be surprised if you check content for some metal can TO-xx, they often has no outer plating, but amount is the same. Yes, for some non plated amount will be less in 10 times, true. Unless you pay attention to markings, it is pretty amateur approach, I should say. You really can digest some sources to easy your way I believe. 'mdds' is a magic you need to add, maybe 😊

[@williamjohnson2105]

Maybe the pudding could've been silver sulfate. I think that needs to be cemented out.

[@richardhulbert9480]

Best way i found was to add a bit of hcl and i pour through a shop towel. Much like gravity seperating

[@angelosebastianelli7477]

Can be used potassium nitrate instead the sodium nitrate?

[@omegageek64]

Yes, it will work just as well.

[@grzlbr]

Can you use potassium nitrate too?

[@omegageek64]

@@grzlbr Sure. Just about any nitrate salt will work.

[@valeriodesantis3159]

Salve !! Io ho una domanda relazionata con il ECO GOLDEX !! lei racomanda l'uso di questa quimica per la estrazione del l'oro dei materiali elettronici?? Grazie

[@jimirk6226]

Where do you get sodium nitric I can't find

[@timtoolman4125]

You also can use potassium nitrate.

[@johnprice867]

​@@timtoolman4125is that Epsom salt?

[@johnprice867]

Could I also use salvaged battery electrolyte from lead acid battery s for the sulfuric of I allow it to sit in 110 degree direct sun to concentrate it and then filter it well first or will the remaining lead cause a problem?

[@timtoolman4125]

@@johnprice867 It is found in some plant or used as plant fertilizer. Epson salt does not contain any nitrate.

[@timtoolman4125]

@@johnprice867 Battery acid is a low percentage of sulfuric acid. would work but would be slow. Not sure if just evaporation would concentrate very high. You may have to use a reflux distillation equipment.

[@joek511]

Had to pause. Lets' see 5-6 grams. Ok done