Gold-Gold, Dear Gold, Where Are You?
Its kind of every mans dream to find the treasure of gold.
In this article, I will answer that question.
So, tag along.
Are the CPU Pins Made of Gold?
Shortly say,No.
The processors pins are not made with solid gold.
The pins are made with other metals, such asPlatinumorPalladium.
However, there is a small amount of gold layer on the pins.
Thats why it looks like theyre built from gold, and many users often get confused.
Let me give you brief details first if you dont know what the CPU pins are.
The small pointy metal things you see on the processors surface are called the CPU pins.
Only a bit of gold layer is used on those pins.
There is another fact you should be aware of.
And the gray metal core below the layer will unveil.
Go to the following section to know why the CPU manufacturers use gold on the pins.
Why Do the CPUs Have Gold Plated Pins?
Manufacturers use the gold layer to give the pins a good deal of conductivity.
Though silver and copper have more conductivity than gold, they are more likely reactive.
In a humid environment, they can easily be oxidized, which is very bad for the CPU.
Copper and silver are indeed the best conductive materials on earth.
But, these metals have a significant disadvantage.
The color of copper starts to turn into aturquoise patinacolor like the lady liberty.
Or, it may turn intoFertile Green.
You cant use silver, either.
Because when silver contacts with air, it becomessilver oxide,and creates awhite powder.
This powder damages the silvers natural reflective form.
So, what can manufacturers do in this situation?
They did the same thing a coach does when he loses his lead and substitute quarterback.
And that is, he uses the third-choice quarterback.
Thats precisely the same thing the CPU manufacturer did.
They move to the third-best conductive material:Gold.
At room temperature,Gold is the best electricity-conductive material.
It is inactive around oxygen and doesnt oxidize.
Its physical condition stays good and doesnt rust.
Thats why its the perfect material for sensitive and tiny CPU pins.
While you install your CPU, the pins can bend by accident.
If it happens, and you want to repair them, read how tofix bent CPU pins.
How Much Gold is in a CPU Pin?
Though you may get more if there are more pins, the margin will be around 1 gram.
Dont mix theweight of the whole CPU packagewith the pins, by the way.
Anyway, do you know how much an average gold bar weighs?
It is more likely400 ouncesor11.3 kilograms.
The quantity is even lower in laptop CPUs.
It doesnt seem like a lot, does it?
This amount of gold wont make you rich overnight.
Apparently, you will need more than 10 million CPU pins to make a single bar of gold.
Did you bend your processors pins by mistake?
Which Metals are Used to Make a CPU Pin?
The CPU manufacturers mostly usePlatinumto make a CPU pin.
Besides Platinum, manufacturers also utilizePalladium,Ruthenium, andIridiumto create CPU pins.
However, based on the demands of electrical conductance, manufacturers use different metals to build CPU cores.
These metals: Palladium, Platinum, Ruthenium, and Iridium, are pretty much more precious than gold.
Manufacturers use these metals to protect the CPU from gettingmagnetized.
Moreover, they are quite conductive to electricity, and electrons can effortlessly flow to the processor.
Gold is also quite electrically conductive.
Thats why, from that tiny layer of gold, electrons can comfortably flow with ease.
Is It Worth Extracting the Gold Out of CPUs?
To be honest, extracting gold from the CPU isnt worth much.
Even if you use some high-quality recyclable materials, its utterly profitless.
The layer of gold is pretty thick.
Probably around0.2 m. So, its pretty hopeless if you expect to get a bar level of gold.
Moreover, the refining process is quite a lengthy process.
And you have to deal with several hazardous materials such asHydrochloric Acids,Nitric Acids,Mercury, etc.
Plus, the gold can be impure due to the presence of other materials.
FAQs
Can you extract gold from the CPU?
Yes, it’s possible for you to extract gold from the CPU.
From a single processor, you could possibly get 100 to 200 mg of gold.
What part of the computer has the most gold?
Motherboard has the most gold in its system among all the PC components.
There is a thin layer of gold you will find on the motherboards surface.
How much gold is in an old CPU?
In an old CPU, you may get close to 300 mg of gold.
Possibly, you might get around $20 for that amount of gold.
Final Thought
Its hard to resist any human when they hear the word gold.
But dont be tempted.
But I wont recommend that if you venture to do something like that single-handedly.
I have also explained what you should or shouldnt expect from that.
Comment below if you have any additional queries.
