A Russian man in the street usually, without hesitation, throws into the trash a Soviet TV or an old receiver that was accidentally found long ago in a closet or garage. Neither this electronics itself nor the radio components contained in it seem to be of any value anymore. Meanwhile, for some people, this seemingly useless trash has become a real gold mine. Moreover, in the literal sense, gold - after all, in the old Soviet radio components of the named household devices there is a very large amount of various precious metals, such as gold, platinum, iridium, silver.
The content of precious metals in radio components differs markedly depending on their purpose and type. Typically, platinum, palladium, gold and silver are used in relatively large quantities. And as a rule, these elements are contained only in old (especially Soviet) radio components. In modern ones, precious metals are usually absent.
Below is a detailed list of radio parts with specific names that are relatively rich in expensive materials.
Platinum and palladium radio components
Typically, these metals are contained in parts of a relatively simple design - capacitors, resistors, switches, connectors.
Capacitors:
THIS-3, THIS-2, THIS-1; K52-7, K52-1; K10-23, K10-17; KM-6, KM-5, KM-4, KM-3; ET tubular condensers; CT; K53-30, K53-28, K53-25, K53-22, K53-18, K53-17, K53-16, K53-15, K53-10, K53-7, K53-6, K53-1, as well all capacitors manufactured at factories in socialist Bulgaria.
Resistors:
PTP-2, PTP-1; PLP-6, PLP-2; PP3-47, PP3-45, PP3-44, PP3-43, PP3-41, PP3-40; PPML-V, PPML-M, PPML-I, PPML-IM; KSP-4, KSP-1; KSD-1; KSU-1; KP-47; KPP-1; KPU-1; Efficiency-1; RS; SP5-44, SP5-39, SP5-37, SP5-24, SP5-22, SP5-21, SP5-20, SP5-18, SP5-17, SP5-16, SP5-15, SP5-14, SP5- 4, SP5-3, SP5-2, SP5-1; SP3-44, SP3-39 (up to 86 g); SP3-19.
Switches:
VD; B3-22; MP7SH; P1T3-1V; P1T4; P23G; PG2-10, PG2-7, PG2-6, PG2-5; PG43; PKN-8; PP8-6; PPK2; PPK3; PR2-10; PT6-11V; PT-8; PT9-1; PT13-1; PT19-1V; PT23-1; PT25-1; PT33-26; PT-57; TV, TV1.
Connectors:
GRPPM7-90SH, GRPPM7-90SH; SNP59-96R, SNP59-64V; RPPG 2-48.
Radio parts with gold content
Gold is found in large quantities in complex radio components. Basically, of course, in the details of the Soviet period, however, gold is also present in imported components, but in relatively small quantities. In some domestic radio components, gold elements are sometimes located openly, but most often they are still hidden under a copper case (after all, gold is very easily abraded).
Transistors:
KT605, KT603, KT602, KT316, KT312, KT306, KT302, KT301, KT203, KT201 and others similar with golden legs.
KT907, KT904, KT606 and others similar, outwardly not having a golden color.
KT970, KT958, KT934, KT931, KT930, KT925, KT920, KT919, KT911, KT909, KT817, KT816, KT815, KT814, KT611, KT604, KT602 and others similar, having a golden body
2T912, KP947, KP904, KT912, KT908, KT812, KT809, KT808, KT803, KT802, KT704 - until 1986.
Microcircuits:
K573, K565, K564, K249, K178, K134, K133 and the like.
K580, K564, K145, K142 and the like.
K574, K544, K228, K217, K157, K140 and the like.
AOT101, K565RU7, K565RU6, K565RU5, K565RU2, K500, K145 (white spider), K142EN and the like.
Silver radio parts
Silver is contained in the overwhelming majority of radio components in the form of an ultrathin (several tens of microns) layer outside or inside the case, as well as on the contacts of electronic components. Therefore, it makes no sense to highlight individual electronic components. A very large amount of pure silver is contained only in the relay contacts.
Therefore, as an example, the approximate silver content in radio components for various purposes in the amount of 1000 pieces of a single electronic component is considered.
Capacitors:
K15-5 - about 29, 901 grams.
K10-7V - approximately 13.652 grams.
Relay:
RES6 - about 157 grams.
RSCh52 - approximately 688 grams.
RCMP1 - about 132 grams.
PBM - approximately 897.4 grams.
It should be noted that the above list of precious metals in radio components is by no means complete (unfortunately, it would take several tens of pages to compile such a thing). Therefore, the article discusses only the "richest" electronic components. However, the interested reader can supplement this list on his own by looking at the passports for radio components and radio equipment, as well as by familiarizing himself with the special literature on radio engineering.
