Intel sends lead into dark metal dungeon of time

CHIP FIRM Intel said it has eliminated the poisonous metal lead (Pb ~207.2 atomic weight) from the entire family of 45 nanometre chips it will make.

Metals can be dangerous. Lead is famous for dimming your mind if your plumbing soaks up the hydroxides and carbonates. According to some, moorland water containing traces of free organic acids is the most dangerous.

An old fashioned cosh, laden with lead stolen from a roof, was in ancient times enough to render you unconscious while thieves riffled through your pockets, or worse, Shanghaied you onto a boat or in British parlance gave you the Queen's famous silver shilling.

Silicon is not usually poisonous, although if you stuff an eight inch wafer into your mouth you might well choke.

Intel said, somewhat egregiously: "Intel is taking an aggressive stance towards environmental sustainability." Copper (Cu: Jimmy) is a very useful metal that gets verdigris almost as soon as it is clean.

Intel's aim is to not only comply with legislation, but also get rid of the horrendous solder joints that were the plague of yesteryear, and will use a tin, silver, copper alloy in processor packages. Not only is lead dangerous to health, but it's one of those sneaky metals that makes your computer fall over when the solder joint fails. Not as bad as tin whiskers, but hey.

Lead was probably responsible for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Or perhaps that was lust for denariii, possibly the most dangerous element known to humankind. Yet. All that glitters is not gold (Au!) µ

See Also
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Old tin whiskers problem rears its ugly head again