Looks like it might have been a chevy/GMC powertrain control module. Halfway decent PCB and some cast ali. It makes sense that they would gold plate the pins to discourage corrosion. It would cause all kinds of problems if those contacts got bad from being exposed to the elements.

Maybe snip off the gold plated part ?

Any chance that you could go for the better than scrap option ? The darn things can have a bit of core value if the boards aren't burnt, corroded, or stress cracked. Also ... they're useless if they've been in a flooded vehicle.

Tested and tuned to the vehicle VIN # .... they can go for hundreds. Maybe you could contact a few on-line tuning shops to see if they would be interested ?