A student has been dubbed "a modern alchemist" by online fans after extracting pure gold from scrap computer processors.

Li Dianwu, a senior of Nankai University in north China's Tianjin Municipality with a major in chemistry, used chemicals and a furnace to extract 65 milligrams of gold - three pinhead-sized beads - from useless central processing units.

He posted 20 photographs on social networking website renren.com last month and attracted more than 60,000 viewers within 15 days.

"He applied his knowledge with full vigor," wrote one web user, adding, "let's open an enterprise and earn a fortune!"

"I'm always thinking of a new, safe and effective extraction methods," Li told Shanghai Morning Post.

A chemistry expert, surnamed Ye, said the public should not follow Li's example as it requires professional knowledge and equipment.

Li is now preparing for a career in chemistry.

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