RF Coaxial Connectors (SMA/N/BNC/TNC)

If the coupling nut and shell are dull grey or chrome-grey you own brass — only a shell yellow all over, knurl and flange face included, has 3–10× the gold.

Au 0.10–0.40 g/lb (SMA); 0.01–0.05 g/lb (N/BNC)Cu ~190 g/lbAg trace

eBay typical$15–35per lb

Refiner pays$12per lb

Metal in it$21.6per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencemedof the yield figures

How to spot it

SMA has a 5/16 in hex nut, ~6 mm OD, 3–7 g. N-type is 5/8 in-24 and 25–45 g; BNC has bayonet slots at 10–16 g. Flange markings read M39012/… plus Amphenol, Radiall, Huber+Suhner or Omni-Spectra logos. Found on test equipment rear panels, RF modules, base station radios, radar and avionics.

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Gold	0.10–0.40 g/lb (SMA); 0.01–0.05 g/lb (N/BNC)	Centre pin ~1 mg, 50 µin over BeCu per MIL-PRF-39012
Copper	~190 g/lb	Brass bodies are 60–70% of mass
Silver	trace	Some mil SMA/TNC have silver-plated bodies

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $21.6 per pound of contained metal — Gold 0.15 g = $19.6, Copper 190 g = $2.03. A refiner paying $12 returns about 56% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Hotplate 250–300 °C, hard ceiling 350 °C

Unsolder 4-hole panel flanges (2 mm hex/Torx); bulkhead SMAs back off with a 5/16 in or 8 mm wrench. For scrap, shear the cable then heat the PTFE bead to 250–300 °C and push the centre contact out. Never exceed 350 °C — PTFE decomposes to perfluoroisobutylene.

Hazards

☣ Beryllium copper

NEVER put BeCu in a grinder, a sandblaster, or a melt.

☠ Hydrogen fluoride from fluoropolymers & lithium

NEVER torch, incinerate or overheat PTFE insulation, and never smoke around PTFE dust — it converts on the cigarette.

💨 Fumes, ventilation and open flame

NEVER burn boards, wire insulation or plastic. Ever.

☠ Cadmium

NEVER grind, burn, torch or braze cadmium-plated or AgCdO material, and don't inhale the black contact dust.

Before you scrap it

Yes, dramatically — 20–200×. Precision SMA (Huber+Suhner, Radiall, 18 GHz+) sell $3–15/pc and torque-rated 3.5 mm/2.92 mm barrels $20–80/pc. Only scrap deformed or cross-threaded pieces.

The common trap

Gold-plated RF connectors is the biggest plating illusion in e-scrap. The gold-coloured body on most commercial SMA is 5–10 µin decorative flash or gold-coloured nickel with no gold at all; a 5-gallon bucket of N-types holds less gold than one mil circular's pin set.

Questions

How much gold is in rf coaxial connectors (sma/n/bnc/tnc)?

Gold: 0.10–0.40 g/lb (SMA); 0.01–0.05 g/lb (N/BNC). Copper: ~190 g/lb. Silver: trace. At current spot that is about $21.6 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify rf coaxial connectors (sma/n/bnc/tnc)?

If the coupling nut and shell are dull grey or chrome-grey you own brass — only a shell yellow all over, knurl and flange face included, has 3–10× the gold.

How do you remove rf coaxial connectors (sma/n/bnc/tnc) safely?

Is rf coaxial connectors (sma/n/bnc/tnc) worth more working than as scrap?

Yes, dramatically — 20–200×. Precision SMA (Huber+Suhner, Radiall, 18 GHz+) sell $3–15/pc and torque-rated 3.5 mm/2.92 mm barrels $20–80/pc. Only scrap deformed or cross-threaded pieces.

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