What things? The only place that I can think of where there is brass bearings is in the PSRU. All bearings in the engine are steel coated with copper coated with babbit, right? 

 

 

The part of the message I quoted had nothing to do with brass or gold flakes.  I was commenting on bearing damage, which could come from at least a few things.  How about metal filings left in the engine, or insufficient bearing clearance, or a plugged up oil galley somewhere?   

But how would any flakes (possibly remaining from reaming the PSRU bearing) ever find their way into the engine? 

 

No chance, as Tracy already noted.   

I think the gold colored flakes you found in the filter and/or pan are completely unrelated to any wear of engine bearings. I would suspect the jets in the e-shaft. Too weak springs? Forgot to install the springs or balls in those jets? That would dump all the oil out into the rotors before it ever reached the front bearing.