My first scrap recovery, can someone help me identify rubbish

SHORT INTRO:
Just getting into this for a hobby.
I wish to obtain some Tantalum, Halfnium, Platinum, Palladium, Gold, and Silver.
I'll be processing these myself - smelting/chemical extraction, mostly for the fun of it.

I've watched quite a few youtube videos and read a fair amount.
I've a strong understanding of chemistry, and smelting.
With an extreme focus on safety. I'll not be processing anything in the open air - fully closed and fumes scrubber.
My plan is to do this on a very tiny scale at first.

In the future I wish to process Gold ores from mining (others and my own). And so scrap recovery would just be a nice side complementary activity.
I know that there is a very small profit margin involved.

WHAT I'VE RECOVERED:
I found these vials of mercury just lying around in a box, now they are safely stored away for future play time. (I know how to handle mercury, I will not be shaking the vials).
Vials about 50mm x 10mm, probably 10 x 10mm of mercury in each.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/566/30...08dcec3d54.jpg

Check out the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLzM7fH7d9E

There are thin plates in the Rectifyer, silver?
That contact has what appear to be silver inside (I broke the glass that surrounded it), sorry for poor quality picture.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/688/30...04c18535_z.jpg

I've heard Elements contain Halfnium. This tiny one is from a Hair straightener (very old 1960's?).
https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/695/30...6b1a133e51.jpg

A - old smoke detector, any of these plates of value, or should I just post that off for Americurium disposal (I don't want to play around with radioactive elements).
B - these anything?
https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/464/30...67a315ac2e.jpg

That zenner worthy?
Suppose everything to left of Tantalum is just junk?
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/256/30...d21b681cfe.jpg

Just curious if that screwdriver bit from the potentiometer is graphite, appears to have graphite contacts inside also (just pink paint on top).
https://c5.staticflickr.com/1/321/30...ea254d1ec0.jpg

I've got lots of fun stuff to do while I await your replies, and I'll have more photo's of cool stuff when I return.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/530/30...6835f905d1.jpg

Well based on views, guess I'm on the right track.

Electric Fence, bit concerned about the thread around the outside, Asbestos?
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/350/30...37ac1c72d0.jpg

Electric Fence number 2, real ancient job. X is a solenoid? Not sure what the other two are, bits from cars I gather.
All will be opened shortly.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/648/30...4bbaa3d97b.jpg

Power box
https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/597/30...dc26b8e478.jpg
Nice big contacts, four sets of these contacts inside.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/426/30...963ee5cc5b.jpg


Nice contacts from inside of a fishtank water bubbler pump (1980's).
https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/266/30...be93ee082b.jpg

12v DC generator, unless those round discs to the right are silver, might not be worth scrapping, perhaps still usable.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/269/31...c6f18592f5.jpg

Try the gold refining forum, best there is on the net and best yet it;s free. GOLD REFINING FORUM - GOLD REFINERS HELPING ONE ANOTHER

The disks with the red and black wires, selenium rectifier.

https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/269/31...c6f18592f5.jpg

Two at top are air capacitors aluminum fins, radio tuners the bottom pair are diodes contain gallium.

No silver in any of those.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/688/30...04c18535_z.jpg

Magnetic motor start switch, silver plated contacts.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/426/30...963ee5cc5b.jpg

Excellent. Thanks.
I wanted some Selenium, Gallium is cool too. I'd like a small chemistry collection.

Can anyone tell me what this is, appears to be some kind of transistor.
Not Gallium as someone said.
A - hole in white stuff from me nailing it to free the contacts.
B - white ring of something softish
C - appears to be hollow in photo, but is shiney thin layer of what appears to be silicon.

https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/520/31...d13d953166.jpg

https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/737/31...95f4fd1047.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheCreator

Can anyone tell me what this is, appears to be some kind of transistor.
Not Gallium as someone said.
A - hole in white stuff from me nailing it to free the contacts.
B - white ring of something softish
C - appears to be hollow in photo, but is shiney thin layer of what appears to be silicon.

https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/520/31...d13d953166.jpg

https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/737/31...95f4fd1047.jpg

---

What is the part number, I'll google it for you.

Besides google a magnet will be your second best friend.

Also grab a copy of this publication from here. You Can Smelt Too, lots of information on how to chemically identify metals.
https://www.scribd.com/document/17426009/You-Can-Smelt-Too

Your next consideration join the GOLD REFINING FORUM - GOLD REFINERS HELPING ONE ANOTHER

Once you've joined seek out a free copy of Hokes Refining Precious Metals, read this publication cover to cover before attempting to post on the gold forum anything beyond an introduction.

By having read Hokes publication this will arm you with the appropriate terminology to communicate with others on the forum. The gold forum membership do not suffer fools lightly

The only air gap capacitors I've ever come across were from WWII military radios,

The air gap caps were used to tune in radio frequency which has now become obsolete technology everything today uses digital tuners,

Crystal radios a totally different animal, then we have the razor blade radio shown in the sort youtube video below.

Various caps, the fins are aluminum.

https://s24.postimg.org/jyr3xd2z9/air.png

https://youtu.be/eIdHsjfbckw

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alloy2

What is the part number, I'll google it for you.

---

LOL
Here is a similar picture of an ancient transistor. (I apologize for the size of this image)
http://vintage-technics.ru/First_tra...or_2N25_01.JPG
Much of the items I have lying around here are from the early 20th century or even older.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alloy2

Besides google a magnet will be your second best friend.

---

Yeah good for non alloys, especially copper plated steel - so tricky.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alloy2

Also grab a copy of this publication from here. You Can Smelt Too, lots of information on how to chemically identify metals.
https://www.scribd.com/document/17426009/You-Can-Smelt-Too
Hokes Refining Precious Metals

---

Thanks for those, good reading material. I'll do as you say and study them thoroughly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alloy2

By having read Hokes publication this will arm you with the appropriate terminology to communicate with others on the forum. The gold forum membership do not suffer fools lightly

---

Yeah, I'll be doing a few experiments first, before I jump in there with my questions. That way I'll have some experimental data & techniques to share.
Cheers for all the helpful info.

Hey before you destroy these vintage transistors they appear to be prototypes from the 1950's, there are collectors out there who would probably die to own just one for their collection.

But then you already knew this because you've hot linked to a Russian site to the image used in your post above, do you have any more tricks up your sleeve.

Credits: http://vintage-technics.ru/First_tra...or_2N25_01.JPG


http://vintage-technics.ru/First_tra...or_2N25_01.JPG

If anyone is interested in vintage transistors this Russian site has a sub directory full of images.

Home page for the Russian site Vintage Technics, First transistors ussr

Index of /First_transistors_ussr

Yay, looks like I have a small sample of Germanium.