Refining precious metals is a complex and fascinating process. So how did you go from Point A – bringing in the dental gold from your practice – to Point B – turning that into a bar, ingot or some kind of metal?
Here’s what happens when you bring it to a refiner.
Step 1: Refining
The process typically starts by weighing and assessing the scrap metals being refined. This can include a variety of precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. You’ll typically find those types of metals in dental products such as:
- Crowns
- Bridges
- fillings
Once the metal content has been determined, the metals are melted down and undergo a chemical refining process to remove impurities or non-precious metal content. This involves using chemicals that dissolve the non-precious metals, leaving behind a purified precious metal concentrate.
Step 2: Electrolysis and Further Refining
Electrolysis is usually the next step. That’s when an electric current is passed through the metal, which separates it from any remaining impurities. This increases the purity of the metal.
After electrolysis, the purified metal may go through more refining processes until obtaining the highest possible purity. This might include thermal treatment or vacuum distillation, depending on the specific metal being refined.
Step 3: Casting and Packaging
After refining, the metal is cast into bars or ingots, which can be sold or reused to produce new products. A trusted dental gold refiner will then stamp each bar with the metal type, weight, and purity to ensure accuracy and transparency when selling it.
The bars or ingots are packaged and shipped to the buyer or stored for future use.
Whether you’re a dental business or an individual with scrap metals to refine, a trusted and experienced refiner like Bay Area Metals can help ensure your metals’ highest possible purity and value.
