darksky1x
Jr. Member
- Oct 21, 2017
- 32
- 33
- Detector(s) used
- Do not use, I specialize in e-scrap
- Primary Interest:
- Other
Escrap is actually the only scrap I generate anymore. Let me explain.
A few of years back after retirement I came to the realization that i needed to generate some extra income because SSA was just not cutting it. Primarily, I buy computers and accessories at government auctions. Some of the computers I will refurbish and then resell online. People will buy the older computers and ship them to their relatives in third world countries for a fraction of the cost. Some of the computers will be broken and not worth investing any money in. Some I will pull and resell the parts (power supply’s, motherboards and some PCI/PCIE add on cards). What I don’t sell I will break down and recycle for the various metals they contain.
Computers and the various electronic components they are made of have a lot of precious metals! For instance:
*CPU’s and the sockets they fit in contain gold (the older the computer, the more gold they contain)
*Data cables and the sockets/ports they fit in all have gold pins (USB, IDE, VGA, DVI, HDMI, SATA eSATA, FireWire, etc). if the cable is used to carry data, then it will have gold pins and the sockets or ports it connects too will also have gold (gold does not corrode like other metals, so where data transfer is concerned, gold is used). If the cable is used for Power (either AC or DC) it will NOT have any gold
*Motherboards have a lot of different precious metals. Again, any of the data slots, ports, sockets have gold pins. Some will have SMA Tantalum Capacitors. Tantalum is a rare, precious metal and these capacitors will bring a scrap price between $28.00 to $80.00 per pound (depends on what type of tantalum capacitors you have). Almost all MB’s will have MLCC capacitors contain palladium and silver, both precious metals. The IC Chips on the MB contain gold wires in them and the list goes on!
*Most DVD an CD drives will have laser diodes in them, not too mention the gold in the IC chips that their boards are made of. Most will also have photodiodes which converts light to electricity. Photodiodes contain gold, silver and germanium. Some have Laser Diodes which contain gold
*Most Microwaves will have Gunn Diodes which contain gold and germanium.
*Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s) all contain a gold bonding wire
*TRIAC’s are a three terminal, solid state, semiconductor device for controlling current. TRIAC’s contain gallium and indium, both of which are precious/valuable metals
*Leaded Disc Ceramic Capacitors, you know, the the round (sometimes light blue in color), ceramic coated thing that connects the the PCB via two legs soldered to the board. These capacitors will have two silver discs (one on each side) that the legs connect to.
*Bipolar Junction Transistors (have 3 legs) can contain gold and germanium.
*Resistors (depending on the type AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES!) can contain gold, platinum and tantalum.
*Network Resistors & Array Resistors can contain Iridium, Silver, Platinum, Palladium and/or Rhenium
*Potentiometers (aka POT’s) are three-terminal resistors with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. The higher end (more expensive) POT’s can contain gold and platinum
These are just a few OF THE MANY electrical components used in our electronic gadgets we can not live with out that have precious and/or rare/valuable metals used in their construction. There are actually hundreds of different electronic components that will have precious, rare or valuable meatals used in their construction.
When it comes to PCB’s (printed circuit boards) or any motherboard I always depopulate them (completely remove all of the components from the board), sort and process the components for the valuable materials they are made of. Once the PCB is depopulated I will sell them to a scrap yard who then recovers the copper used in their construction
A few of years back after retirement I came to the realization that i needed to generate some extra income because SSA was just not cutting it. Primarily, I buy computers and accessories at government auctions. Some of the computers I will refurbish and then resell online. People will buy the older computers and ship them to their relatives in third world countries for a fraction of the cost. Some of the computers will be broken and not worth investing any money in. Some I will pull and resell the parts (power supply’s, motherboards and some PCI/PCIE add on cards). What I don’t sell I will break down and recycle for the various metals they contain.
Computers and the various electronic components they are made of have a lot of precious metals! For instance:
*CPU’s and the sockets they fit in contain gold (the older the computer, the more gold they contain)
*Data cables and the sockets/ports they fit in all have gold pins (USB, IDE, VGA, DVI, HDMI, SATA eSATA, FireWire, etc). if the cable is used to carry data, then it will have gold pins and the sockets or ports it connects too will also have gold (gold does not corrode like other metals, so where data transfer is concerned, gold is used). If the cable is used for Power (either AC or DC) it will NOT have any gold
*Motherboards have a lot of different precious metals. Again, any of the data slots, ports, sockets have gold pins. Some will have SMA Tantalum Capacitors. Tantalum is a rare, precious metal and these capacitors will bring a scrap price between $28.00 to $80.00 per pound (depends on what type of tantalum capacitors you have). Almost all MB’s will have MLCC capacitors contain palladium and silver, both precious metals. The IC Chips on the MB contain gold wires in them and the list goes on!
*Most DVD an CD drives will have laser diodes in them, not too mention the gold in the IC chips that their boards are made of. Most will also have photodiodes which converts light to electricity. Photodiodes contain gold, silver and germanium. Some have Laser Diodes which contain gold
*Most Microwaves will have Gunn Diodes which contain gold and germanium.
*Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s) all contain a gold bonding wire
*TRIAC’s are a three terminal, solid state, semiconductor device for controlling current. TRIAC’s contain gallium and indium, both of which are precious/valuable metals
*Leaded Disc Ceramic Capacitors, you know, the the round (sometimes light blue in color), ceramic coated thing that connects the the PCB via two legs soldered to the board. These capacitors will have two silver discs (one on each side) that the legs connect to.
*Bipolar Junction Transistors (have 3 legs) can contain gold and germanium.
*Resistors (depending on the type AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES!) can contain gold, platinum and tantalum.
*Network Resistors & Array Resistors can contain Iridium, Silver, Platinum, Palladium and/or Rhenium
*Potentiometers (aka POT’s) are three-terminal resistors with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. The higher end (more expensive) POT’s can contain gold and platinum
These are just a few OF THE MANY electrical components used in our electronic gadgets we can not live with out that have precious and/or rare/valuable metals used in their construction. There are actually hundreds of different electronic components that will have precious, rare or valuable meatals used in their construction.
When it comes to PCB’s (printed circuit boards) or any motherboard I always depopulate them (completely remove all of the components from the board), sort and process the components for the valuable materials they are made of. Once the PCB is depopulated I will sell them to a scrap yard who then recovers the copper used in their construction
