Man Dies Trying to Extract Gold From Computer Parts

[Mr.Sam]

Another contender for the Darwin Awards ;) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_awards)


Following the old adage, "There's gold in them thar computer parts," a man was poisoned a couple of weeks ago while trying to use mercury to extract gold from ... his computer parts. On Saturday, the man -- Tulsa resident Tony Winnett -- died. In the end, he lleft his home so contaminated that it cannot be lived in.

What was he thinking? Well, mercury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_%28element%29) chemically reacts with gold (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold) and causes it to separate, according to Durant/Bryan County Emergency Management Director James Dalton. Authorities believe that Winnett, along with his partner Melissa Lake, heated the mercury in an attempt to separate the gold and accidentally inhaled it.

Which should serve as a lesson to all you budding engineers: Learn your chemistry before taking apart your computer.

Atomically speaking, that is.

http://www.switched.com/2008/04/03/man-dies-trying-to-extract-gold-from-computer-parts/

[Redacted]

lol owned

[Alkaz]

Wowee, a bit of gold cost him his life. That is well worth it.

[Technologic]

The amount of gold used is tiny :l. It'd be worth less than the actual parts

[-Xiangu-]

Thats stupid and the gold used (as technologic said) Is not worth the hassle. I do say ir is ok to take your computer apart but it isn't like your going to be heating up parts (Unless soldering wires) which will only be in certain areas. At all times you should wear a mask and goggles when heating components. It isn't worth risking your life for.

[DJ-Vimto]

as harsh as it seems i lol'd at that guys stupidity.

it really isnt worth trying to do this yourself, its often found that the gold plating on computer parts is sometimes only a few molecules thick. in effect you are talking about a layer of gold just a few nanometers thick.

I'm willing to bet that if you were to separate the gold from say a gold plated scart lead you would be left with a lump of gold no bigger than a grain of sand

[Nereo]

what a stupid way to go :(

[mat64]

I just don't know where some people find the time to think about this so much and then put in the effort to perform something this daft.