# Scrap Gold from Motherboards?



## Chyrio (Feb 23, 2010)

Hey guys i have like 60 broken/old/useless motherboards as well as old psus etc. i have heard of this whole "gold from scrap" thing and can somebody show me a guide on how to do this and what chemicals to use, also please show me were to buy this stuff? i found all these guides but nobody can tell me were to buy the chemicals i need


----------



## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

At a guess, I would say that gold is ONLY placed in areas where connectors are. From experience many years ago, I discovered that gold plating on circuits are only few microns thick.

The amount (in weight/value) you would recover from 60 boards probably would not excede the cost of the chemicals/tools/time need for the process...

Then you have the problem of disposing of the nasty chemicals and contaminated/burnt boards...

Only a guess though...


----------



## LMiller7 (Jun 21, 2010)

DonaldG is almost certainly correct. My understanding is that the removal of gold plating is not a simple process. I doubt that anyone reading this forum will have experience with this.


----------



## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

Depending on your area, you may be able to simply sell them at your local recycling center. $5 per pound here in my area.

You could also sell on eBay...seems to be a good market for it there.

In any case, good ole youtube> Recycling gold from computer parts - YouTube


----------



## Chyrio (Feb 23, 2010)

i have heard about a chemical called aqua regina or something that basically just dissolves the gold right off the board. i can get the chemicals i need to make a sufficient amount for around 70 bucks. you guys think this would be worth it?


----------



## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Definitely not worth it.

Aqua Regina (nitro-hydrochloric acid) is very nasty stuff to have in a domestic environment. Especially when used by someone with no experience of handling such acids.

You would be better off abandoning the idea. Even if you were to recover the gold, the onward processing of the precipitate would be costly and the amount you would get at the end of the day probably would not pay a Burger King bill.

Edit:
The acid would not be selective and dissolve only gold. You would end up with a load of highly toxic mush that would need specialist disposal - You can't just toss it in the trash can.

The other components such as ICs, diodes, transformers, capacitors, solder (lead/tin/antimony), copper, silk-screen paint, cover-coat, glass fibre & its resins all would be affected too. Within many electronic components there are extremely hazardous and toxic materials that would be liberated into the environment too.


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I watched the entire vid.......total failure.

The cost of the highly dangerous chemicals, and magnesium, coupled with time wasted and added expense of a furnace (which needs fuel or electricity) to melt the minute amount of gold contained in electronic components is not practical for the DIYer.

Sell the components for scrap and let the pros extract the gold......you'll be ahead in the long run.


----------



## Chyrio (Feb 23, 2010)

well thank you guys for saving me from a world of no money (not that i have any in the first place ha ha)


----------

