I have laboratory electrode wire and mesh to recycle. Most of it should be 97% platinum and 3% rhodium. Mesh may be 100% platinum. I have about 38 grams combined.  What is the value of these items? From Ken in Omaha, Nebraska

Hi Ken,

We can refine the platinum from the electrode wire and mesh that you have described. We will analyze the material with our testing equipment and can typically return 70% of the fine platinum value back to you based on the that days market price of platinum.

Indicate on your packing slip if you would like us to call you after we have evaluated the platinum. These items are perfect for refining because they are so platinum rich. Other laboratory items that may contain precious metals that we can refine include the following:

• Evaporation Dishes
• Vacuum Bags
• Air Filters
• Polishing Residue
• Casting Sprues and Buttons
• Gauzes
• Electrodes
• Crucibles

Let us know if you have any of these items you would like recycled. You can also visit our website and learn more about our platinum refining.

Hi, I have about one pound of electrophysiology platinum tips for sale. Could you let me know how much you pay for this type of material and what the best method to ship is? Thanks From Neil in St. Louis, Missouri

Hi Neil,

We can refine the platinum out of medical devices such as electrophysiology catheter tips. We typically pay about 70 % of the platinum content by weight. Depending on the type of electrophoresis electrodes you have. Factors such as number of electrodes, diameter, weight, and platinum content on electrodes will vary.

To cut down on your shipping costs you can cut off the end with the electrodes and trim close to the electrodes. This is not necessary, but it can help you save on postage. We recommend sending in your items in a padded mailer or double plastic bags with zips inside your shipping box. UPS flat rate shipping works great, but you may use the carrier of your choice. Please choose the “Delivery Signature Required” option.  Please sterilize the tips prior to shipping with the method your hospital recommends.

Visit our website for more information about our medical device recycling programs.

I have 8 ounces of gold sheets for dental use from the 1880’s and platinum from the 1800’s as well. The platinum is in a powder form. Wondering what the value of these items would be today. From Katie in Memphis, Tennessee

Hi Katie,

To know the actual value of the precious metal contained in your dental sheets we would have to weigh them separately and test for the level of fine gold they possess. Because your items are over 200 years old, the dental products were probably manufactured much differently than they are now, so it would be hard to classify them as dental scrap like we do today. We pay less for dental scrap than, for instance gold jewelry, because it is harder to separate the gold from the other metals that dental scrap is alloyed with. If the gold sheets are very pure we could offer as much as 90% if you have more than 2 ounces of pure or fine gold.

It’s hard to say what kind of estimate we could give you on your platinum without knowing how much you have. We usually pay 70% of the dollar value of the platinum recovered.

If you have any documentation on the gold or even pictures that might help us identify the purity of your material, we may be able to provide a more accurate estimate for you. Thanks!

I have about 50 catalytic converters come in per month. I also have bare copper wire and copper tubing some with and some without solder joints. Are these items worth anything? From Dave in Kansas City, Missouri

Hi Dave,

We can recover platinum and palladium metals from catalytic converters. However, refining this material is not only difficult, but very time and energy consuming. As such, we do not buy whole catalytic converters but rather the pellets and honeycombs from units that have been “de-canned.”

Call or email for a custom quote if you have greater than 100 lbs of “de-canned” catalytic converter material.

For less than 100 lbs of pellets or honeycombs we pay the following prices:

Non-Diesel Engines

• For  loose pellets from non-diesel engines we pay $3.00 per pound.
• For honeycomb material from non-diesel engines we pay $8.00 per pound.

Diesel Engines

• For loose pellets from diesel engines we pay $3.00 per pound.
• For honeycomb material from diesel engines we pay $3.00 per pound.

I have 3-4 ounces of Watlow platinum thermocouple wire I would like to sell. How much could you give me and how does the process work? Do I send you the metal to evaluate first? – From John in New Orleans, Louisiana

Hi John,

We can buy and refine platinum thermocouple wire. We will not know the percentage of platinum in the wire without an analysis. However, we have testing equipment that provides this information to us. Once we know the metal content, we can provide you an estimate. Given the costs involved in refining thermocouple wire, we typically pay about 70% of the platinum content.

As for shipping, 4 ounces isn’t too heavy. Therefore, you could send using the U.S. Post Office’s priority mail boxes, but you can use DHL, UPS, or FedEx, without incurring much cost. Visit our website for more information about the shipping process. Also remember to request a signature required upon delivery.

For platinum items we can call you if you would like after we have evaluated the platinum. Please indicate that request on the packing slip with your shipment.

I have removed the platinum from catalytic converters. What is the value by weight? From Rob in Pleasant Hill, Oregon

Hi Rob,

We do buy the pellets and honey combs from catalytic converter units that have been “de-canned.” It sounds like your materials are already “de-canned.” Some other information from you would help us give a more accurate estimate for your material such as how many pounds do you have? Do you have loose pellets or honeycomb? Are the catalytic converters from non-diesel engines or diesel engines?

For shipments less than 100 lbs., we go by this payment schedule:

Non-Diesel Engines

For loose pellets from non-diesel engines we pay $3.00 per pound.
For honeycomb material from non-diesel engines we pay $8.00 per pound.

Diesel Engines

For loose pellets from diesel engines we pay $3.00 per pound.
For honeycomb material from diesel engines we pay $3.00 per pound.

If you have greater than 100 lbs. of “de-canned” catalytic converter material, please call or email us for a custom estimate. Hope this information helps!

I’m just a humble jewelry designer from NY who is trying to get used to all this stuff! From Natalie in New York, Arkansas

Hi Natalie,

Don’t worry if you don’t pickup on everything right away. It takes sometime to get to know the precious metal industry. Here are some helpful tips that I’ve put together for you and other jewelry designers out there that may have some scrap precious metal to refine.

It’s great that you are learning and researching about this now so you have all the tools at hand. We work with jewelry designers, jewelry sellers and gold party representatives from all over, let us know if you have any questions about precious metal!

Keep in mind that precious metals include: gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium.

Pay attention to where you scrap is going.

From small gold chain links to shavings of silver, try to account for it all. For larger pieces of gold, silver or platinum that you cannot use in creating or fixing jewelry its best to keep them as separated as you can. We recommend working on smooth, dark surfaces so you can see scrap easier.

Don’t throw anything out, it could be precious!

Even your facility that you resize, shape and design jewelry in can contain valuable precious metal scrap. Areas where precious metal can be accumulating include sink traps, floor mats, carpets, rags, floor sweeps and vacuum bags. Think about this when you’re cleaning your facilities. If you regularly clip, size and shape precious metal chances are small pieces of it have gotten away from you. As precious metal refiners we can extract even the smallest amounts of precious metal from these items.

Keep your stones and gems.

As precious metal refiners, we only return payments for metal materials, not stones and gems. To reclaim the value on these items, make sure you remove them before sending them to any metal refinery.

I have thermocouple wire to sell/refine. Total weight is about 2000 grams. Half is pure platinum, the other half is 87% platinum, 13% Rhodium. Do you buy from the general public. Also, do you pay for the rhodium content or only the platinum? – Steven from Virginia

Hi Steven,

We are a precious metal refiner that does buy from the public. We will pay you for 70% of the fine platinum content by weight. We do pay on rhodium, but the rhodium amount you described is too small to offer a payment. You can find more information about our platinum recovery services on our website.

Is there any way to tell if my platinum ring is pure platinum? — Beth in Stillwater, OK

The two most common purities of platinum used in jewelry are:

Plat - 950 Plat is considered nearly pure platinum and usually contains 95% platinum and 5% iridium.  It is quite expensive and typically the highest grade of platinum available for jewelry making.

IridPlat - This platinum is 90% pure platinum with 10% other metals mixed in…typically iridium. These rings can be marked with a hallmark of “.90 Plat” as well and therefore have a slightly lower melt value than their purer platinum counterparts.

Obviously pure platinum will yield higher returns, however at around $1,322.00/troy ounce, platinum alloyed with other materials can return a surprisingly high melt value.