Gold recycling is the process of recovering gold from used products such as jewelry, old electronics, and unused bullion. This process helps save resources and reduce the impact of mining on the environment. Here’s how to recycle gold:
1. Collect gold
- Sources : Include old jewelry, electronic waste (such as cell phones and computers), and old coins and bullion.
- Separation : Gold is separated from other materials such as plastic, glass and other metals.
2. Disassembly and primary processing
- Disassembly : Disassembling electronic devices or detailing jewelry to separate parts containing gold.
- Cleaning : removing dirt and impurities from materials containing gold.
3. Chemical analysis
- Analysis : The material is analyzed to determine the proportion of gold and other materials.
- Chemical processing : Chemicals such as acids or cyanide are used to extract gold from other materials. This stage requires special equipment and strict safety procedures.
4. Melting and refining
- Smelting : Gold is melted in high-temperature furnaces to separate it from other metals.
- Purification : Gold is refined to a high purity (usually 99.9% or higher). Techniques such as electrolysis can be used to achieve this.
5. Formation
- Molds : After the gold is refined, it is poured into molds to form it into new ingots or pieces.
- Manufacturing : Recycled gold can be used in new jewelry or industrial applications.
6. Monitoring and Quality
- Assay : The resulting gold is examined to ensure its quality and purity.
- Certifications : Certificates can be issued to ensure the purity of recycled gold.
Benefits of recycling gold
- Resource saving : Reducing the need to mine new gold, saving natural resources.
- Environment : Reducing environmental damage resulting from mining operations.
- Economy : Saves costs on traditional mining and manufacturing.
Specialized companies
There are companies specialized in recycling gold such as:
Additional information
For more details on how gold is recycled and the environmental and economic benefits, visit Umicore and Johnson Matthey .
