Other · Tier D

EMI shield cans and fences

"Nickel silver" contains no silver at all — it's a copper-nickel-zinc brass. And half the cans on the market are just tin-plated steel.

Cu 150–290 g/lb

eBay typical$3–10per lb

Refiner pays$1.5per lb

Metal in it$1.92per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencemedof the yield figures

How to spot it

Thin stamped metal boxes and low perimeter frames soldered flat to a board, usually over RF sections in phones, routers, TV tuners and laptop WLAN areas. Two-piece types have a soldered fence with a snap-on lid. Dull silver-grey, sometimes with a faint yellow tint where a gold flash was applied to spring fingers.

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Copper	150–290 g/lb	nickel silver is roughly 55–66% Cu, 16–20% Ni, balance Zn; tin-plated steel cans contribute zero

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $1.92 per pound of contained metal — Copper 180 g = $1.92. A refiner paying $1.5 returns about 78% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Hot air 300–340 °C

Hot air at 300–340 °C along the solder perimeter and lift with tweezers; lids often pop off by hand. Sort with a magnet immediately — steel to ferrous, nickel silver to a yard as a copper-nickel alloy. Never put them in a gold lot.

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.

The common trap

The name does all the damage. Nickel silver sells for roughly copper-alloy money, about $1.50–2.50 per pound, and the gold flash on some spring fingers is measured in single microinches. Steel cans are worth pennies.

Questions

How much gold is in emi shield cans and fences?

Copper: 150–290 g/lb. At current spot that is about $1.92 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify emi shield cans and fences?

"Nickel silver" contains no silver at all — it's a copper-nickel-zinc brass. And half the cans on the market are just tin-plated steel.

How do you remove emi shield cans and fences safely?

Hot air at 300–340 °C along the solder perimeter and lift with tweezers; lids often pop off by hand. Sort with a magnet immediately — steel to ferrous, nickel silver to a yard as a copper-nickel alloy. Never put them in a gold lot.

Related in Other

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