For quite some time, now, I've been wanting to get my hands on enough gold plated e-waste to play chemistry and try to get myself a little gold.

If you're not aware, most of your electronic gadgets contain tiny amounts of precious metals like silver, gold, and platinum - usually in the form of a very thing plating over a cheaper base metal. The gold plated layer in newer, more modern electronics is extremely thin, but in older gadgets like early to mid nineties computers, you can get a decent yield. It takes quite a bit of scrap to make it worth your while, but it sounds like good science-y fun, and I may end up with a few skrillaz when it's all said and done.

Now, I haven't been in any big hurry to collect stuff; I've just been picking things up as I run across them. But, I just found a few items that kind of got me excited, and now I'm more motivated than ever.

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Gold In Computer Processors

While more modern computer processors (post ~1998) have moved away from some of the more gold-intensive technology, older processors can net a decent yield. Many of them have a gold plated cover and hundreds of gold plated pins, in addition to the solid gold bonding wires inside of the chips. I was lucky enough to happen across a few of these in a box of junk that someone was throwing out on the side of the road.

I am not very well versed in computer hardware, so all of the information from here on out is from online research. For some of these processors, I didn't even know enough about them to know what to look up.

Intel Pentium

I don't know enough about this processor to find a good estimate for how much gold it contains. However, I was able to find one listed on Ebay at an asking price of $16.07 USD.

Another Intel Pentium

I don't know about this one either, so I couldn't locate an estimate on its gold content.

Intel DX4

This processor has an estimated 1.9 grams of gold in it.

Intel i486 DX

This processor has an estimated 0.18 grams of gold in it.

Intel i486 DX2

This processor has an estimated 0.2 grams of gold in it.

Intel i486 SX

This processor has an estimated 0.1 grams of gold in it.

AMD 486 DX2

I couldn't find an estimate on this particular processor, but the AMD 486 DX4 contains about 0.12 grams of the good stuff. I have two of these 486 chips.

AMD 386 DX

I couldn't find an estimate on this one, either.

Another Unidentified Intel

I have a feeling this one is probably the best of the bunch. I can't identify it, because the top side is covered with a glue-like substance that kept it attached to the heat sink. I would just remove the glue, but it is covered with a layer of gold, and I don't want to mess with that until I'm ready to process it.

What Do You Think?

Again, I am not very well versed in the world of computer technology. These processors may be considered WAY cooler to some people than they are to me. Perhaps they have a much higher calling than just being scrapped for their precious metals. If so, please let me know. I'd might be willing to part with them for some Steem or SBD if anyone is interested in them. Otherwise, into the scrap heap they will go!