You could be sitting on an actual goldmine in your own home. Find out how many gold coins your computer might contain.
Did you know that your old electronics like your computer have gold in them? Where is it and how can you get it out?
They can also be made of other precious metals, such as palladium or silver. Continue reading to learn more.
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What parts of the computer are made from gold?
Many electronic devices and computers contain precious metals like gold. Some electronics contain high levels of gold, which can be found on circuit boards, processors and other components.
The main PC components that contain gold are:
- Gold is found in motherboards and printed circuit board. Gold contacts and connectors will be found on the edges of the board, where the wires are inserted. The surface of the motherboard is often covered in thin gold layers.
- Central Processing Units are those large, square “microchips” that you find on motherboards. These CPUs have hundreds of pins plated in gold around the edge and underneath. If you have many of these, they could be worth quite a bit.
- Random Access Memory Chips – These little goldmines are installed on the circuit board to increase your computer’s operational memory. These chips are often covered in a thin gold layer and have a significant number of pins that are gold-plated.
- These extra boards include internal modems and PCI boards. They also include ethernet ports, graphics cards, and other peripherals. These boards also contain large amounts of gold. Like other components, you’ll also find gold on surface layers and connection pins.
Precious Metals in Electronic
You’ll find other precious metals in electronic devices besides gold. Other precious metals that are commonly found in electronic devices include the following:
- Silver – Circuit Boards, Computer Chips, keyboard membranes, and capacitors
- Platinum – Hard Drives, Circuit board components
- Hard drives, Circuit board components.
- Copper – Heat sinks for CPUs, cables and wiring, printed circuit boards, computer chips
- Nickel – Circuit board components
- Tantalum – Circuit board components
- Cobalt – Hard Drives
- Aluminum – Printed Circuit Boards, Hard Drives, CPU Heat Sinks
- Tin – Printed Circuit Boards, Computer Chips
- Zinc-Printed Circuit Boards
- Neodymium – Hard Drives (magnets)
As you can see, instead of just throwing away your old computer it may be worth doing a little scavenging.
How much gold can you find in a computer or a laptop?
Could you make money by dismantling those components? They all contain gold or other precious metals.
Most likely not. At least, not from a few old PCs.
Several reports claim that an old PC contains $9 in gold. It’s also not including the cost to remove it.
Other sources estimate that the average computer contains 1/5th gram of gold, which is worth about $12. Laptops, on the other hand contain around 1/10th gram or $6 in gold.
The actual value of the e-waste will vary depending on its type. Industrial video equipment, for example, often contains a higher proportion of gold than other types, up to 56 grams per machine.
This seems like a waste of time after all the work required to physically break down the computer in order to extract the gold. You’ll likely find that you are out of pocket if you do this on only a few machines.
Some computer components are worth more if they’re still intact.
The financial picture becomes more attractive if you recycle this type of waste in bulk. This is particularly true if bulk e-waste can be purchased for next to nothing.
Most companies that specialize in this field focus on motherboards, circuit boards, and CPUs because they tend to contain the most gold. One tonne of electronic waste can contain up to 800 times as much gold as gold ore.
There’s a lot. According to The World Counts and other sources, around 50 million tons worth of e-waste is thrown away every year. According to The World Counts, the USA alone produces about 11 million tonnes of e-waste each year.
Only a tiny 12.5% of that is recycled or reprocessed.
E-waste can be shipped directly to Asia or Africa for recycling it is then sold as scrap or burned to try to dispose of the waste or extract valuable materials.
It is a wasteful and potentially harmful practice for both the children (who are often the ones doing it) and the environment it is important to note that a large amount of e-waste contains toxic chemicals such as lead, cadmium and other harmful substances.
Many Western nations have adopted this policy. Regulations on e-waste It is important to reduce the dangers of disposing old electronics.
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Why do electronics use gold?
You might be wondering why gold is used for electronics. It is a highly valued material. Gold has some interesting and useful properties, which make it unrivalled when it comes down to electronics.
The electronics industry is a major consumer of gold. Solid-state electronic devices, for example, tend to operate at very low voltages and currents. They can easily be damaged by corrosion or tarnish on contact points.
Gold is an excellent solution for this problem as it is a highly effective electrical conductor that is capable of carrying small currents while remaining corrosion-free. Gold or gold plating is often used to make electrical connectors and switches, as well as connecting wires and connection strips. This makes them more reliable and durable.
The majority of modern electronic devices are at least partially made from gold. Phones, calculators and personal digital assistants are all examples of small electronic devices.
Gold also found in large electronic devices
Is also found in large electronic devices, such as televisions. Computers are also a good option, as we have previously discussed.
The aerospace and defense industry also uses gold. Gold is used in the aerospace and defense industries is a great material for connections. Gold can protect spacecraft from infrared radiation.
Aerospace gold is a high-tech version of a sunblock. The polyester film is coated in gold particles and can be used to reflect the sun’s rays away from the craft. Gold can also be used to lubricate mechanical parts as other lubricants would evaporate in space’s vacuum.
Due to the high value of gold, it has become a priority to find alternatives that are more affordable and sustainable. Base metals covered in a thin gold layer can be used to reduce the use of gold.
Gold can be substituted with other metals like palladium and platinum. They have similar properties. These metals, however, are also generally rare and expensive.
How to extract gold from computer components without chemicals?
Chemicals are the fastest and most efficient way to extract gold from electronic devices. This should only be done by those who have the necessary safety equipment and are familiar with chemistry.
When using chemicals to clean electronics components, toxic fumes are often released. This should only be performed with the proper PPE and ventilation. You might be wondering if it is possible to do this without using chemicals.
Researchers have found a way to do the same thing without chemicals by using vinegar or weak acids. Consider reverse electroplating as well.
You could also ship your pieces to a company that specializes in precious metal reclamation, let them do the work and receive a percentage of the proceeds. It will not be cost-effective but you can still make a profit.
You might want to check the value of electronic components rather than just focusing on gold.
If you’re determined to do the job yourself, there are two options: heat or brute strength. It is expensive to use heat and the equipment required, not to mention that it can be dangerous if done incorrectly. However, the latter is more labor-intensive but relatively safer.
The first step in this method is to collect spare electronic gadgets. You can find a lot of gold in computer chips, circuit boards, and parts from cell phones, such as the SIM card.
Next, remove any circuit boards or other parts you have managed to salvage. If you do not want to use chemicals such as aqua regia and hydrogen peroxide, then this must be done by hand.
You can save the other bits and cut out the parts that are rich in gold, such as contacts, CPUs etc. You can also reclaim precious metals like silver. For some parts, you can use a magnetic separator to remove all the gold-plated parts.
Then, melt all of the gold pieces and flakes together. For this you’ll need a blowtorch, a clay pot, and other specialist equipment. You will also need protective gear such as boots, googles, and flame-resistant clothing.
