Other · Tier D

Bridge rectifiers and power diodes

These are copper-slug parts, full stop. The silicon die is a speck and there's no gold worth chasing.

Cu 140–240 g/lbAg 0.5–2 g/lbAu ~0.02 g/lb

eBay typical$20–80per lb

Refiner pays$2per lb

Metal in it$6.44per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencelowof the yield figures

How to spot it

Bridge rectifiers are square or in-line black epoxy blocks marked KBU810, GBU606, KBPC or W04, with four terminals labelled + − ~ ~, always at the transformer or mains input. Power diodes are TO-220, TO-247, DO-201 or axial glass-and-metal bodies marked 1N4007, MUR, HER or FR.

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Copper	140–240 g/lb	heavy copper lead frames and slugs; KBU/GBU bridges are roughly 35–45% Cu
Silver	0.5–2 g/lb	Ag-loaded die-attach and occasional Ag-plated frames, not universal
Gold	~0.02 g/lb	trace only — power devices use solder or Ag die-attach, not gold wire

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $6.44 per pound of contained metal — Gold 0.02 g = $2.61, Copper 180 g = $1.92, Silver 1 g = $1.90. A refiner paying $2 returns about 31% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Hot air 380 °C with preheat

Thick pins into heavy pours — big iron tip or hot air at 380 °C with a preheater underneath. Snipping the leads and keeping the bodies is fine for scrap since the copper is inside the package.

Hazards

☠ Lead — dust more than fume

NEVER dry sweep or use compressed air on a scrapping bench. HEPA-vac or wet-wipe only.

💨 Fumes, ventilation and open flame

NEVER burn boards, wire insulation or plastic. Ever.

🪚 Fibreglass and board dust

NEVER dry-cut boards indoors without extraction.

Before you scrap it

Working MUR and SiC Schottky parts, IXYS and Vishay high-current devices, and vintage germanium diodes sell $1–8 each. Commodity 1N4007s are worthless.

The common trap

They look like fat ICs and get sorted into IC tubs. Refiners class them as low-grade plastic scrap or reject them outright — a pound is worth around $6 in metal.

Questions

How much gold is in bridge rectifiers and power diodes?

Copper: 140–240 g/lb. Silver: 0.5–2 g/lb. Gold: ~0.02 g/lb. At current spot that is about $6.44 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify bridge rectifiers and power diodes?

These are copper-slug parts, full stop. The silicon die is a speck and there's no gold worth chasing.

How do you remove bridge rectifiers and power diodes safely?

Thick pins into heavy pours — big iron tip or hot air at 380 °C with a preheater underneath. Snipping the leads and keeping the bodies is fine for scrap since the copper is inside the package.

Is bridge rectifiers and power diodes worth more working than as scrap?

Working MUR and SiC Schottky parts, IXYS and Vishay high-current devices, and vintage germanium diodes sell $1–8 each. Commodity 1N4007s are worthless.

Related in Other

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