Tantalum is a rare metal; it accounts for 0.0002% of the earth's crust. About 20 of tantalum's own minerals are known - the columbite-tantalite series, wodginite, loparite, manganotantalite and others, as well as more than 60 minerals containing tantalum. What kind of board is this, many would like to know what device it was removed from???
Electrolytic tantalum capacitors are a compact version of electrolytic capacitors in which aluminum foil is replaced by tantalum. They have a high specific capacitance with relatively small dimensions. On some boards of old black-and-white TVs from the USSR era there are many valuable tantalum capacitors and also red and green KM capacitors.
The equivalent series resistance of tantalum electrolytic capacitors does not change with increasing frequency, and the impedance at a frequency of 100 kHz reaches a minimum value. Look at this board, how many red KM capacitors there are and tantalum capacitors to boot. You can make a fortune on this board!!!
Some modifications of capacitors with tantalum also contain other metals that are valuable for processing: - silver-palladium; - platinum; - gold; - tantalum .
Tantalum capacitors › K52-2.5 large size.
Tantalum capacitors › K52-2.5 large size Cost guidelines. 45.0 UAH or 121.93 rubles per piece, in dollars S1.62 Purpose, brief description of tantalum capacitors K52-2, 5 Tantalum capacitors are devices for storing charge and energy of an electric field. Radio components K52-2, 5 were used for the production of computers and other precision equipment in the USSR. Tantalum capacitor K52-2, 5 is a green or gray flat cylinder with a through metal rod and corresponding markings. There is an electrolyte inside. The value of but tantalum capacitors is that they contain precious metals for recycling: tantalum, silver, palladium in small quantities.
Technical characteristics of tantalum capacitors K52-2, 5: housing material: metal color: gray, green
Sources of recycled silver
The main sources of secondary silver are products from the electrical and radio engineering industries, printing, photography and film industries, products from the mirror, jewelry and watch industries.
From the household sector, sources of precious metal include scrap jewelry , awards and coins.
In radio and electrical engineering, the following are suitable for silver extraction :
- radio components;
- relay;
- contacts of automatic switches and starters;
- batteries;
- contact relays and ceramic capacitors.
Certain types of solders and contacts can contain up to 99% Ag.
Batteries and resistors
Silver-zinc batteries of the SC series, in which the anode is made of pressed silver oxide powder, are distinguished by a high specific silver content.
For example, the battery of the STs-25 model, weighing 470 g (together with the filled electrolyte), contains 85.5 g of Ag, and the STs-110 model, weighing 1.6 kg, contains 559.783 g of Ag.
In small quantities, technical silver is found in the most common resistors of Soviet times, the MLT series (an abbreviation for “metal film varnished heat-resistant”). For example, an MLT-2 product weighing 2.5 grams contains 5 mg of Ag, which corresponds to 0.16% by weight.
Capacitors and relays
Due to the small size and light weight characteristics of radio components containing silver, it is customary to estimate the amount of Ag in terms of 1000 pieces of each group of radio products.
For some types of capacitors and relays, the Ag content per 1000 pcs. following:
- capacitor K15-5 - about 29.9 g;
- capacitor K10-7V - about 13.6 g;
- relay RES6 – 157 g;
- RSCh52 – 688 g;
- RVM – 897
Films
The printing, photography and film industries “provide” worn and damaged film reels and photo prints .
The main raw materials for extracting precious metals are silver bromide and silver sulphide, ash from photographic paper and photographic prints.
Photographic and film films contain silver, the content of which is standardized per 1 square meter. meter _ For example, every sq. a meter of Micrat 300 film contains 4.68 grams of Ag.
Other devices and items
Silver “secondary” coming from the chemical industry is represented by spent catalysts containing up to 80% Ag, sludge, contact masses and scrap silverware.
Silver-containing waste from jewelry production is generated during machining, smelting and chemical processing of precious metals.
In their composition
, they are much poorer than scrap silver and contain from 0.5 to 10% silver, while silver scrap precious metal can contain over 90% (in the case of high-grade jewelry).
Quite a high percentage of silvery precious metal in the “secondary”, coming from watch production .
Silver solders are rich in silver up to 99%, and silver contacts are up to 80%.
Tantalum capacitors › K52-2 large size
Price 12.1 UAH, 32.81 rubles . The deuce is in a mug, black lid, light green body.
Purpose, brief description of tantalum capacitors K52-2, 2 The tantalum capacitor K52-2, 2 is a green or gray, flat cylinder with a metal rod, with appropriate markings. There is an electrolyte inside. Businesses are interested in used tantalum capacitors because they contain valuable metals in small quantities for recycling: tantalum, silver, palladium.
Technical characteristics of tantalum capacitors K52-2, 5: case material: metal color: gray, green nominal capacitance: 100-200 uF permissible capacitance deviation: 30%
Tantalum capacitors › K52-2 small size (Tesla)
Purpose, brief description of small-sized tantalum capacitors K52-2, 2 (Tesla)
The small-sized tantalum capacitor K52-2 (Tesla) is a passive radio-electronic component, used for the manufacture of precision high-frequency devices. It looks like a cylinder with a diameter of 8 mm, with a white, black, red or yellow cap and corresponding markings. The value of these radio components is that they contain precious metals (silver, tantalum) in small quantities and are suitable for recycling.
Technical characteristics of tantalum capacitors K52-2, 2 (Tesla):
case material: metal color: silver
Relay characteristics
Specialists of the Soviet Union used high-quality materials to produce household appliances and computers. Precious materials were often used. They are contained in significant quantities in the relay. Miners are recommended to use parts from the following series:
- RP and RES;
- RKN and RPS;
- RKP and RKM;
- RTN and TRSM;
- TRT and TRP.
Additionally, you need to check the relay with an aluminum housing, since it is necessary to reach the contacts. The presence of silver or platinum is determined by their color.
Even in Soviet times, radio amateurs mined gold from electronics. They learned that the significant content of precious metals in the capacitor is the 1st source in terms of their quantity in technology. This method of earning money remains relevant to this day. With the right choice of parts, you can accumulate your own small capital, because gold, since its inception, has always played the role of hard currency.
You don't have to leave home to mine gold It is enough to advertise: “I will buy old radio components .” Samples from past decades contain yellow metal, sometimes in quite significant quantities. By purchasing certain models from suppliers, you can extract valuable raw materials from them.
It can possibly be melted down into ingots, but it would be better into jewelry, for example, rings. There may be problems with the free sale of bullion. “Trinkets” are sold without difficulty. What kind of radio components with gold should you turn to, how to process them in order to get the jewel, then.
Tantalum capacitors › K52-2, 5 small size
Purchase price per unit is 10.6 UAH, 28.74 in rubles.
Purpose, brief description of small-sized tantalum capacitors K52-2, 5 Small-sized tantalum capacitors K52-2, 5 were used to create precision instruments, computers, cell phones, tablets, and in the military industry. They look like metal cylinders with a diameter of 14 mm with a red cap. They contain precious metals (silver, tantalum) in small quantities and are suitable for recycling.
Technical characteristics of small-sized tantalum capacitors K52-2, 5: case material: metal color: green, silver nominal capacitance: 10 µF permissible capacitance deviation: 20%
Physico-chemical qualities
Silver is endowed with unique physical and chemical properties , which are used in industry to improve the technical characteristics and performance of products for civil and military purposes, for example:
- Silver has the highest thermal and electrical conductivity among metals. In particular, its electrical conductivity (62.5 million S/m) exceeds similar parameters for aluminum (37 million S/m) and gold (45.5 million S/m).
- Under normal conditions, silver is chemically inert to the effects of water and air or other adverse factors that provoke oxidation or corrosion of so-called “ordinary” metals.
- Silver coatings on the surfaces of parts, mechanisms and mirrors have high reflectivity in the optical range of the spectrum .
This combination of chemical inertness with high electrical and thermal conductivity predetermined the widespread demand for silver in the electrical industry and the production of radio electronics , in particular:
- for use in conductive contacts, soldering coatings;
- for the production of wires with silver conductors;
- in the production of batteries, heat sinks and waveguides;
- in the production of highly reflective mirrors.
Tantalum capacitors › ETO-1 small size
The purchase price of radio components per piece is 12.3 UAH, 33.35 in rubles
The tantalum capacitor is small in size and looks like a cylinder with a diameter of 1.4 cm, with appropriate markings and electrolyte inside. Used tantalum capacitors ETO - 1 are purchased for recycling due to the content of precious metals in them.
Technical characteristics of small-sized tantalum capacitors ETO-1: housing material: metal color: gray nominal capacitance
Costs of separating gold from radio components
One liter of reagents costs approximately 300 rubles. 1 gram of isolated gold is valued at approximately 2500-3000 rubles. To get about 3 grams of yellow metal from KT605 transistors, for example, you will need 100 parts. Each of them contains 27 micrograms of valuable raw materials.
You can buy transistors for 15-20 rubles apiece. Spend about 2000 rubles, you will receive approximately 8000-9000 thousand. It is necessary to calculate the profitability of an enterprise. “Recycling” of some radio components is unprofitable.
Absolutely everywhere there are advertisements “buying radio components”, “I will buy expensive radio components”, “I will buy Soviet transistors, microcircuits, capacitors and blah blah blah...”. But why, who needs these outdated microcircuits, large transistors, lamps, capacitors?
I think most people are already aware - precious metals are gold, silver, platinum, palladium. Yes, yes, that is why people who are far from radio engineering and electronics buy them in kilograms. Let's start with the most expensive elements. I present to your attention capacitors.
Attention, the article was written back in 2013. Now prices are many times higher!
Precious metals in capacitors
The price for 1 kg of such capacitors reaches up to 70,000 rubles! Think about this amount 0_0. If you collect 2 kilograms of these condensers in a year, you can not work for a whole year :-). And I’ll tell you a secret that some people do just that. Some grandmother or grandfather has an old Soviet radio, an antediluvian TV or radio lying gathering dust. Buyers go from house to house and buy up this equipment for pennies, and sometimes even for nothing, and, of course, bite off and solder off expensive radio elements. But why are these capacitors the most expensive? They contain the most expensive precious metals - platinum and gold.
Read also: How to make a gas burner from a cutter
Prices at the end of 2012 for precious metals: gold - 1620 rubles per gram, silver - 30 rubles per gram, platinum - 1500 rubles per gram, palladium 700 rubles per gram. Prices are slightly rounded for ease of perception. Such capacitors contain the most platinum, according to the Internet, up to 20 grams per 1000 pieces. Now they are quite difficult to find.
Also from this series are capacitors KM-5D. Their price can reach up to 40,000 rubles per kilogram.
are also of great interest . Their price reaches up to 35,000 rubles per kilo.
And these are the ones that say N902M2 . Their price is up to 30,000 rubles per kilo.
As you can see, the price range of capacitors greatly depends on how many milligrams of precious metals are contained in each of them. They also accept a lot of types of other capacitors, but I think you shouldn’t bother with them, since their price is a penny.
To summarize, buying radio components consisting of green and red capacitors is a profitable business.
Precious metals in microcircuits
There is such freedom here. 99% of any microcircuits are purchased. They can be in round, ceramic, planar, or metal cases. But, I think it would be more advisable to focus on the most highly profitable microcircuits. There is only one rule here: if it smells of gold, then such a microcircuit is accepted without any problems. These may be gold-plated contacts or a housing. So, I present to your attention the highest paying microcircuits:
133LA1 – up to 12 rubles per piece
133LA8 – up to 26 rubles per piece
542ND1 – up to 28 rubles per piece
K5ZhL014 – up to 55 rubles per piece
K5TK011 – up to 55 rubles per piece
Keep in mind - these are just some of their names. The microcircuits may be completely different in name, but if it is similar to the microcircuits that I showed in the photo, then they will also be accepted for the same price. As you can see, their terminals and housings are gold plated. In short, if you see any of this, immediately take care and save it ;-). This also includes computer processors.
In the photo below are microcircuits that are accepted for a good price, regardless of what is written on them. The golden color makes itself felt.
The remaining microcircuits are not worthy of attention as a sale for precious metals, since they cost pennies, so let’s move on to the next group of radio components.
Precious metals in transistors
Let's also consider the most expensive of them.
KT909A-B – up to 30 rubles per piece
KT904,907,914 are “sharpened” for a yellow bolt – up to 40 rubles per piece
KT970A – up to 30 rubles per piece.
KT602-604 and the like with yellow legs. Price per piece – up to 30 rubles.
As you noticed, all presented transistors are gold plated.
Other radio components
Variable resistors are in great demand. Their price varies from 5 to 10 rubles per piece.
Some types of relays. For example RES-7. Its price is up to 500 rubles per piece.
Only certain types of relays of certain years and series are accepted. Anyone who still wants to hand over relays, I advise you to scour the internet and know exactly which relays of which year are accepted.
And, of course, there are connectors with gold-plated contacts. If you see a yellow glow on such connectors, you can safely return them. Prices here can also vary from 50 kopecks to 3 rubles per contact. Multiply the price by the number of contacts - that’s the price of the connector.
And also Soviet lamellas for about 1000 rubles per kilo. For those who don’t understand what lamellas are, remember the Dandy cartridge
