Circuit board vs pizza (an abstract comparison)
I wanted to try to address the gold in cicuit board issue. Often the focus is on the gold. On the surface it makes sense, gold has a high value density. But obtaining pure gold from circuit board material is a complex task, with additional costs, dangers, waste, etc.
So, let's reset. Let's look at something else common,abundant and diverse to relate to ... Pizza ... ?
Pizza?
Ok. Pizza in general has a few main components. Dough, sauce, cheese. Circuit board has a few main components. Board, traces (Often copper), circuitry (assorted metals+).
What does this mean?
If you have a hot, fresh, delicious pizza that someone desires, you can expect top dollar for you product.
If you have a current, decent spec computer someone desires, you can expect top dollar for your product.
Ok. The pizza is now cold. But, it has a highly sought after topping, pepperoni, mushrooms, etc.
Ok. The computer is aging. But, it has good ram, cpu, video card.
The parts may be worth more than the whole.
The pizza hit the floor. No one will buy it.
The computer is crap. It is still a mix of metals that have value.
The pizza has garlic. A little mixed thru the entire pizza.
The computer has gold. A little mixed thru the entire circuitry.
Do you try to sort out the garlic?
Do you try to sort out the gold?
Now you can't sell a junked pizza to make new pizzas from, but circuit boards can be sold for their mixed metal compositions which can go on to become new circuitry. However, simply going after the gold (garlic) is not the best use of time.
Circuit boards are like pizzas. They have common ingredients in each, but they are different in the details of each. Knowing which catagory a circuit board is graded, is a general guide to the metals it contains.
Try to obtain the boards (pizzas) with the most desired traits, but don't go for just the gold (garlic).
