How much gold is in a CPU? [closed]

Solution 1:

Here are some listings by processor for many CPU's, including sorting by yield:

Gold Content List in CPU Chips

Gold CPU Recycling Yields And Values

The second link covers some newer processors, like the core-duo, and lists it as "low yield".

Of note is this comment:

WARNING: Recycling can be very dangerous if you are not experienced. The chemicals used to extract the gold can be fatal if misused or inhaled.

Solution 2:

It costs more in chemicals for someone on their own to do it.

It is only economical to do it on an industrial scale, e.g. thousands of processors, boards and more.

I believe the average processor is only electroplated and has between 3 pence and 10 pence of gold in it!

Quite frankly, you would probably get more for copper in a heatsink and scrap metal of the case than gold in a computer!

Solution 3:

Of course 'CPU' means different things to different people. I think of it from a microelectronics point of view.

There won't be any gold to speak of in a silicon chip, but the packaging is a different story.

Gold plated contacts are used wherever good conductivity is required — and the high current consumption of modern cpu's makes them ubiquitous.

But the gold plating is very thin. As @William Hilsum said, it's only economical to reclaim the gold on an industrial scale.