The complete precious-metal recovery process
Every consignment follows a rigorous, fully documented 12-step journey — transforming spent catalysts, electronics, and residues into certified high-purity metal.
Twelve stages from material to metal
Precision at each stage compounds into exceptional recovery yield and certified purity.
- Step 1
Material Collection
Secure intake of precious-metal-bearing feed from across industry, with insured logistics and documented chain of custody.
- Spent catalysts
- Industrial waste
- Electronics
- Jewellery scrap
- Chemical residues
- Automotive catalysts
- Mining residues
- Step 2
Material Inspection
Incoming consignments are weighed, visually inspected, and classified by material type to determine the optimal processing route.
- Gross and net weight verification
- Material classification by feed type
- Documentation and photographic records
- Step 3
Sampling
Representative sampling ensures accurate valuation. Heterogeneous feeds are homogenized so every assay reflects the true metal content.
- Homogenization of heterogeneous feed
- Representative sub-sampling protocols
- Retained reference samples for both parties
- Step 4
Chemical Analysis
Samples are assayed by XRF, ICP-OES, and fire assay to precisely quantify platinum, palladium, rhodium, gold, silver, and other values.
- X-ray fluorescence (XRF) screening
- ICP-OES quantitative analysis
- Classical fire assay for gold and silver
- Step 5
Pyrometallurgical Treatment
High-temperature smelting collects Platinum Group Metals into a concentrated metallic phase, separating them from ceramic and refractory carriers.
- High-temperature furnace smelting
- Melting of feed materials
- Concentration of precious metals
- Slag separation from metal phase
- Metal collection into recoverable concentrate
- Step 6
Hydrometallurgical Processing
The metal concentrate is dissolved through controlled leaching, bringing precious metals into solution for selective separation.
- Leaching of the concentrate
- Chemical dissolution of precious metals
- Controlled acid treatment
- Selective dissolution of target metals
- Step 7
Chemical Separation
Dissolved metals are separated from one another and from base-metal impurities using precise, sequential separation chemistry.
- Solvent extraction
- Selective precipitation
- Ion exchange
- Filtration and purification
- Step 8
Individual Metal Separation
Each precious metal is isolated into its own high-purity stream, ready for final refining to fine metal.
- Platinum
- Palladium
- Rhodium
- Iridium
- Ruthenium
- Gold
- Silver
- Step 9
Final Refining
Each isolated metal is refined to fine-metal specification, achieving purities of 99.95% and higher for Platinum Group Metals.
- Reduction to sponge, powder, or grain
- Electrolytic refining where applicable
- 99.95%+ purity for PGMs; 99.99% for gold
- Step 10
Quality Testing
Refined metal undergoes final analytical verification, and a certificate of analysis is issued documenting purity and composition.
- ICP-OES purity confirmation
- Certificate of analysis issued
- Full traceability to intake assay
- Step 11
Packaging
Fine metal is cast, weighed, and securely packaged as bars, grain, sponge, or salts according to client specification.
- Casting into bars, grain, or sponge
- Precise final weighing
- Tamper-evident, secure packaging
- Step 12
Delivery
Refined metal or settlement value is delivered through secure, insured channels, completing a transparent, fully documented recovery cycle.
- Insured secure logistics
- Metal return or transparent settlement
- Complete documentation package
Concentrating metals with heat
Pyrometallurgical treatment uses high-temperature furnaces to melt incoming feed and collect Platinum Group Metals into a dense metallic phase. Ceramic carriers, refractory materials, and other non-metallic components report to the slag, which is separated from the valuable metal concentrate.
This smelting step is essential for materials such as spent autocatalysts, where precious metals are dispersed across a ceramic honeycomb. Careful thermal and chemical control ensures even resistant metals like rhodium and iridium are captured rather than lost.
Separating metals with chemistry
Hydrometallurgical processing dissolves the metal concentrate through controlled leaching and acid treatment, bringing precious metals into solution. From there, selective chemistry — solvent extraction, precipitation, and ion exchange — isolates each metal from the others and from base-metal impurities.
Because platinum, palladium, rhodium, gold, and silver each have distinct solution chemistry, this stage is where individual metals are separated and purified to the exacting standards required for reuse in industry.
Send us your material and follow it through every step.
From sampling to settlement, you receive full traceability and a certificate of analysis on the metal we recover.