Almost everyone has some kind of disused electronic device stashed away in a drawer or cabinet, but you might be shocked to realize that it still might have some utility.
Internal components like as processors, motherboards, RAM, printed circuit boards, central processing units (CPUs), and CPUs may include precious metals.
In this article, you will find out how much gold and silver are actually present in your electrical devices.
What types of precious metals are inside computers?
In addition to gold, computers may contain the following metals:
- Aluminum
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Iridium
- Nickel
- Palladium
- Platinum
- Rhodium
- Silver
- Tantalum
- Tin
- Zinc
Is there gold in old computers?
The computer’s central processing unit (CPU) and random access memory (RAM) are the two usual locations for gold. The central processing unit (CPU) has pins that go into the motherboard. All of the data input and output pins are gold-plated for optimal conductivity.
RAM (random-access memory) is another vital part of computers that may be made of gold. One kilogram of RAM will normally give the following amounts of gold per kind, however this can vary depending on the specific RAM being used.
- DDR RAM – 1.2g
- DDR 2/3 RAM – 3.75g
- RD RAM – 5g
RAM often has gold in its “fingers,” or the section that connects to the RAM slots on the motherboard. The aforementioned numbers are simply an approximation of the possible yield, which may vary depending on the manufacturer and type of the RAM.
Gold plating may also be seen on circuit boards and other interior components. Due to its high conductivity, gold may be used in any data contact point.
But don’t get your hopes up, because most of the metals in a computer are only copper and other low-quality metals.
How to extract gold from computer parts?
Many techniques exist for extracting gold from used electronic components. Most of these techniques necessitate the use of potentially dangerous substances.
An experienced expert should be hired to do gold extraction. To extract valuable metals from their raw materials, refineries use complex machinery and methods.
Even while you probably won’t strike it rich by selling the gold and other precious metals in your old computer parts, it’s still great to know that you can get some of it back.
