In large quantities, they shred them and use machines to separate the metals from plastics and other materials.
If you do it by hand, you can pull out the larger integrated circuits such as the microprocessor, which has a larger quantity of gold than other devices. But the gold is only microns thick, so it doesn't amount to much unless you collect a whole lot of them. The old computers made in the 1960's were more valuable, sometimes having as much as $5.00 of gold on each circuit board. But those days are gone, since computers now have fewer interconnections and use less precious metals.
If you do it by hand, you can pull out the larger integrated circuits such as the microprocessor, which has a larger quantity of gold than other devices. But the gold is only microns thick, so it doesn't amount to much unless you collect a whole lot of them. The old computers made in the 1960's were more valuable, sometimes having as much as $5.00 of gold on each circuit board. But those days are gone, since computers now have fewer interconnections and use less precious metals.
