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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: USSEnterprise on January 27, 2006, 07:44:40 pm

Title: CPU gold recovery
Post by: USSEnterprise on January 27, 2006, 07:44:40 pm

Is there any truth to this? I see people selling old CPUs on eBay by the pound, to be used for gold recovery. Just a scam?

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: PCtech on January 27, 2006, 07:53:06 pm

I'm not sure about CPU's, but back in the '90s the place I would work for would take non-working WANG system boards, and send them to a smelter by the dumptruck load, where they would melt them down, and get what traces of precious metals were used to make 'em.  If I remember right, the owner of the place I worked, would split the take 50/50 with the truck driver (owned the truck), and they would each make about $500.  Not BIG money, but better than thowing them away.  Never heard about CPU's though, but it wouldn't suprise me.

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: Negativecreep0 on January 30, 2006, 01:53:43 pm

I own a recycling company in philadelphia, PA we purchase all types of ferrous and non ferrous metals. We sell computer monitors and cpu chips all the time and even gold on occasion. The going rate of scrap right now is ridiculous. Copper is going for 1.50 a lb, and brass 1.00 a lb to name a few. This is all do to wars going on around the world , blah blah blah.....  As for cpu component scrap there is a market it goes about 25 cents a lb right now for cpu boards and such...

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: ScoopKW on January 30, 2006, 07:18:13 pm

I just saw this on the Discovery Channel -- smashed up chips and boards have a higher concentration of gold than most gold ore.

Problem is, you need hydrochloric acid, and a host of other nasty chemicals to extract it.

Scoop

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: Hockeyboy on February 02, 2006, 06:54:12 am

Well, as a person who works for Intel Corp, I think I can safely say that the best places to get gold is from notebook CPUs that are a few years old. We used to put gold 'bumps' on the chips before they were finally packaged. In fact, gold is still used as the electrical contact for many CPU wires -- at least, for our processes.

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: Monkey on February 02, 2006, 09:47:55 am

Theres probably more gold in any one PC that all the Elizabeth Duke stores put together ;D

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: Harry Potter on February 02, 2006, 09:49:13 am

I'm rich!  :laugh:

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: Stingray on February 02, 2006, 11:52:06 am

The only mineral I could find in my PC was pyrite. ???

-S

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: JackTucky on February 02, 2006, 02:28:45 pm

Quote from: Stingray on February 02, 2006, 11:52:06 am

The only mineral I could find in my PC was pyrite. ???

-S

Bet you found some sausage in there too.

Jacktucky

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: Stingray on February 02, 2006, 02:29:52 pm

Quote from: JackTucky on February 02, 2006, 02:28:45 pm

Quote from: Stingray on February 02, 2006, 11:52:06 am

The only mineral I could find in my PC was pyrite. ???

-S

Bet you found some sausage in there too.

Jacktucky

I understand yours is fulla lemons. ;D

-S

Title: Re: CPU gold recovery
Post by: More Cowbell on February 02, 2006, 03:17:17 pm

I found a dead cockroach in my computer.
Value = priceless