Gold is one of the most sought-after metals found in computers, in addition to silver and copper. Extracting the metals is a process that could help the environment and put less stress on mining as they reduce the demand from mines. The key hindrance to computer gold recycling is the dollar value. The process of retrieving and recycling these metals is a a complicated business, and until most recently cost about $200 per computer, whereas the value of the recycled metal amounts to about $30. Hence , the parts are usually shipped to countries where the cost of extraction would be relatively less as compared to the developed world.
To recycle the gold on your computer, the computer must be completely dismantled and taken apart to access its recyclable materials. The motherboard is on part where the gold is found in reasonable quantities.
There is only a very small amount of gold in your computer. In fact, it takes about 80 computers to yield a single gram of gold. For this reason, the process of computer gold recycling is cost-prohibitive for an individual.
The safe retrieval of gold and other valuable metals makes computer gold recycling a worthy pursuit from an environmental point of view. Gold mining is one of the most polluting activities in the world, and for this reason many environmentalists will not wear gold wedding bands or other gold ornaments. Mercury used in gold extraction is one of the largest water pollutants.
Recovering gold from computers has, until recently, not been economically viable, but new technologies have changed this situation. The gold itself is plated to other metals making its extraction more complicated. While not all recyclers have the required technology, the number of people involved is getting larger . Recycled gold now constitutes 25 percent of world supply of this metal.
Tags: computers, gold, precious metals, recycle
