Where to Look for Gold, Silver, and Platinum Scrap
Businesses Are Closing . . .
There is a story behind every business that closes and liquidates its fixtures, equipment, supplies and assets. Sometimes the story is sad because a business failed. Sometimes it was in an industry that was no longer profitable. Sometimes the owner retired, and that is not a sad story.
Nobody likes to take advantage of someone whose business failed. But the other side of the story is that closed businesses offer opportunities to collect precious metal scrap – silver, gold, and even platinum. And sometimes buying the assets of closed businesses helps the prior owners who are trying to recoup some of the money that they invested in their enterprises.
You can sometimes find listings of auctions and sales of these assets listed in newspapers. You can also search online for the term “stores closing near me” and “business brokers” and find some businesses listed.
What Kind of Closing Businesses Are Most Likely to Be Selling Precious Metal Scrap?
Jewelry Manufacturing and Repair Businesses
Look for stocks of unused materials like silver solder, silver and gold wire, and even silver-bearing fluxes that were used in soldering operations. And don’t forget to check for plating tanks and supply pipes and drainpipes attached to them. They often contain small amounts of gold and silver that can be reclaimed.
Electronics Manufacturing Businesses
Depending on what they were manufacturing, they can be good sources of silver and even gold scrap. If you get in there and look around and buy scrap, you could profit.
Photo Processing Businesses
You are going to find silver in them, in unprocessed and processed photographic film, in photographic papers, and even in chemicals that were used to develop film. If you can find a closed photo lab, you could be surprised at the large quantity of silver you can get, often at low prices.
X-Ray and Medical Testing Facilities
They too offer excellent opportunities to buy films and chemicals that were used back in pre-digital days.
Muffler and Auto Repair Shops
You won’t find immense quantities of precious metals in these facilities, but you will find brazing rods and welding supplies, which contain silver.
Electronics Retailers
Unsold electronic devices – everything from stereo components to digital cameras – contain silver and small amounts of gold in their printed circuit boards. If you can come away with bins of small bits and pieces and circuit boards, you could stand to profit.
Get Looking, Get Your Hands Dirty . . . and Make Money
When you reclaim the kind of scrap we write about today, your next step is to call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners at 800-426-2344. We can explain how easy it is to send your gold, silver, and other precious metals scrap to us for testing and processing.
There is money in businesses that are closing. Don’t let it slip through your fingers.