Precious Metal Recovery, Reclaiming, and Recycling for Complex Industrial Streams
Every industrial process produces residues that contain untapped value. Spent catalysts, metallic scrap, and complex sludges often carry significant concentrations of precious metals. But without the right partner, those resources remain locked away. That’s where we can help.
Metal & Catalyst Resources provides precise, accountable precious metal recovery services to maximize yield and minimize risk. Through advanced processing, transparent sampling, and proven refining partnerships, each lot is treated as a high-value asset. With decades of expertise across platinum group metals, gold, silver, and rhenium, we help industry turn waste into accountable value.
If you have waste or off-spec material containing precious metals and want to explore recycling options, the team at Metal & Catalyst Resources is ready to help.
What We Process
Secondary materials aren’t typically uniform. Some arrive as dry, granular catalysts; others as dense sludges, damp filter cakes, or metallic scrap in irregular shapes. Our role is to evaluate, homogenize, and prepare these diverse feedstocks so they can move into the precious metal recycling stream.
We routinely manage:
- Spent catalysts containing platinum group metals and other recoverables
- Filter cakes and sludges with variable moisture content
- Metallic scrap and residues from high-temperature or chemical processes
- Plated parts, sweeps, and ash where trace values require careful handling
- Electronic scrap concentrates with mixed precious and base metals
By aligning material form with the right treatment route, we create the conditions for maximized recovery and accurate settlement.
Precious Metals We Recover
The value hidden in secondary materials is rarely concentrated in one element. Each precious metal behaves differently under heat, leach, and refining conditions. Our recovery programs respect these differences, ensuring that no value is lost in the transition from residue to refined product.
Platinum (Pt)
Platinum is a cornerstone of catalytic systems, appearing in automotive converters, refining catalysts, and specialty alloys. Because it often exists in fine dispersion across ceramic or metallic substrates, recovery often begins with controlled calcination to strip away organics before leaching routes or pyrometallurgical processing separate Pt from the base matrix.
Palladium (Pd)
Palladium is widely used in electronics, catalysts, and plating applications. Its high reactivity means that residues and powders can behave unpredictably during processing. Our approach emphasizes precise sampling and moisture control to stabilize feed, followed by tailored leaching methods or pyrometallurgical processes that isolate Pd efficiently.
Rhodium (Rh)
Rhodium, though present in small concentrations, represents a significant unit value. Extracted primarily from catalyst washcoats and catalytic converters, Rh is difficult to dissolve using conventional chemistries. We employ specialized leaching protocols, pyrometallurgical processes, and separation strategies to capture Rh with minimal losses, ensuring maximum return.
Gold (Au)
Gold remains one of the most targeted metals for recycling, whether sourced from electronics, plating baths, or jewelry scrap. With precise sampling and fire assay controls and selective precipitation, gold is recovered with exacting accuracy.
Silver (Ag)
Silver often occurs in higher weight percentages, particularly in brazing alloys, electronics, and residues like X-ray films. We process bulk Ag-bearing materials through smelting, precipitation, and electrolytic refining, ensuring both high-volume handling and consistent recovery.
Ruthenium (Ru)
Ruthenium is encountered in chemical catalysts and advanced coatings. Its volatility during calcining requires strict temperature control to prevent losses. Once stabilized, Ru can be routed through leaching for efficient separation.
Iridium (Ir)
Iridium’s exceptional hardness and high melting point make it useful in crucibles, spark plugs, and electronics. Those same traits pose recovery challenges. Advanced refining partnerships allow iridium to be reclaimed with confidence, even from mixed-metal streams.
Rhenium (Re)
Rhenium is a critical component of petrochemical catalysts and superalloys. Present in trace amounts, it requires specialized leaching, temperature controls, and careful off-gas management during calcining. By managing these sensitivities, rhenium is captured effectively and returned to the supply chain.
From Assay to Settlement: A Controlled Path for Precious Metal Recovery
As a trusted precious metal recycler, Metal & Catalyst Resources turns complex feedstocks into documented value with fewer handoffs and faster cycle times.
We provide:
- Representative sampling & assays: fire assay, ICP, wet chemistry, with umpire options for validation
- Tailored processing routes: calcining, leaching, precipitation, and filtration, or pyrometallurgy for maximum yield
- Regulatory compliance: DOT/IMDG packaging, hazardous materials traceability, international paperwork
- Quality reporting: certificates of analysis, batch reports, and audit-ready documentation
This disciplined path ensures efficient precious metal reclaiming, optimized yield, and clear records from assay to settlement.
Start Your Precious Metal Recycling Project with Metal & Catalyst Resources
If you have spent, waste, scrap, residual, or off-spec material containing precious metals or precious metal compounds, the opportunity to recover value is too important to overlook.
Metal & Catalyst Resources provides the expertise, infrastructure, and transparency needed to turn complex streams into measurable returns. Whether you are ready to recycle material today or would like to discuss the specific characteristics of your feedstock with our technical staff, we invite you to get in touch and explore how our precious metal recycling services can support your operation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Precious Metal Recovery, Reclaiming, and Recycling
When evaluating precious metal recovery or recycling options, technical details and process clarity are often just as important as yield. To help address common considerations, we’ve compiled answers to frequently asked questions about our precious metal reclaiming and recycling services.
Yes. Mixed materials containing multiple precious metals can be processed, with recovery paths designed to separate and account for each element individually. This ensures accurate yield and settlement for all contained values.
Turnaround depends on the material type, the precious metals involved, and the processing route, and most cycles are measured in weeks or months. Customers receive updates and reports throughout the process.
Precious metal recycling services can be arranged for both small trial lots and large-scale shipments. Each batch is profiled to ensure the process route is efficient and cost-effective at the given scale.