Quote:
profitable way
?
Bulk. Major bulk.
Ok, assuming your sure up front the wire is gold, or gold plate, or gold alloy… etc.
There are two methods I know work, from experience. Both will cost more than the gold in the wires.
The easiest method is heating the laminate and removing the gold. The plastic melts below gold. But not by much.
What you need:
A graphite bowl.
2 Cobalt or titanium tweezers.
Temperature gloves.
Lots of patience.
And either:
A 1600• heat gun or a torch setup. MBP+O2 or MAP (which doesn’t really exist any more).
Gold melts at 1947.5 •F
The plastic melts somewhat lower in the 1500• range. The goal is to melt the plastic, tweeze out the thin wire, and melt as much extra plastic and glue as you can of the very thin and now very pliable gold.
The other is a chemical bath which would eat/resolve the plastic leaving gold. And a toxic stew.
Using a torch and a large crucible, and enough wire… you could assembly line the process a bit.
In wouldn’t suggest the chemical method.