Two Precious Metal Refinery Processes Smart Investors Should Understand
Years ago, a clothing store in New York used to run commercials that said, “An educated consumer is our best customer.”
Did that store really believe in that philosophy? We don’t know for certain. But we do know that at Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners, we admire customers who have taken the time to educate themselves about the processes involved in refining precious metals. And we have also observed that when precious metal investors know about the techniques involved in refining precious metals, they find it easier to make smart decisions that can increase the money they get once the refining processes are complete.
Today, we would like to provide you with a brief education about two basic approaches to separating gold and other precious metals from others that are contained in scrap.
Precious Metal Refinery Technique One: Using Heat
Heat is the precious metal refiner’s friend. Here in our refinery, we apply it in a variety of ways.
In one example, we will heat up a quantity of floor sweepings that contain both dirt and dust and gold shavings. Most of the dirt, sawdust, and other impurities burn away, allowing the gold to separate and clump together.
But using heat to process precious metals is sometimes not that straightforward. Let’s say, for example, that we have a bar that is made of an alloy that contains both gold and copper. Heating that alone will not cause the gold to separate. So separating the gold requires a more complex process.
One such process is called pyrometallurgy, in which a gas is allowed to bubble through an alloy metal after it has been heated to the point where it becomes a liquid. That gas reacts with the metals in the liquid, causing them to separate. Complicated, right? But it is one tool that precious metal refineries like Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners can apply to separate gold and other precious metals from alloys.
Precious Metal Refinery Technique Two: Using Chemicals
There are many ways to use chemicals to separate precious metals from substances that surround them. In one case, we introduce a chemical into a solution that contains silver, such as a printing ink; that chemical causes the silver to precipitate out of the liquid.
But there are many other ways to use chemicals to separate precious metals from their surrounding compounds. One such process is called hydrometallurgy. That term is a bit confusing because it implies that water is used in the processing. In reality, other liquid chemicals are used.
One example? An alloy is immersed in a powerful chemical like aqua regia. That causes certain metals in the alloy to liquify and be dissolved. Those metals can then be retrieved by introducing more chemicals. it’s also complicated, right? But again, it is one tool in our arsenal.
So, Are You Educated in Refining Precious Metals?
We hope that the information we present in today’s post will be useful to you as you become a more educated precious metal investor.
Want to know more? We are here to answer all your questions about processing your gold scrap, platinum scrap, and silver scrap. Call us at 800-426-2344.