Every year, the world generates over 60 million tons of electronic waste, much of it containing valuable metals worth billions. Precious metals separating and refining plants transform this waste—along with industrial scrap, jewelry scrap, and manufacturing residues—into pure, reusable metals.

But how do they actually do it?

From crushing and separation to chemical stripping, electrolysis, thermal processes, and final refining, these plants combine engineering, chemistry, and automation to deliver exceptionally pure metals.

Precious Metals Separating & Refining Plants

How Do Precious Metals Separating & Refining Plants Work?

Below is a clear, step-by-step overview of how these modern plants operate:

1. Collection & Pre-Processing

Scrap materials such as CPUs, connectors, gold-plated boards, dental alloys, jewelry scrap, or catalytic converters are:

• Sorted
• Shredded
• Dismantled
• Cleaned

This improves separation efficiency and metal exposure.

2. Chemical or Mechanical Separation

Depending on material type, systems may use:

• Chemical dissolution (aqua regia, hydrochloric acid, cyanide-free stripping solutions)
• Electrochemical stripping
• Thermal decomposition
• Physical separation & filtration

This stage removes base materials, resin, ceramic, plastic, or steel components, leaving the precious metals exposed.

3. Refining & Purification

Refining methods include:

• Electrolytic refining for gold and silver
• Precipitation using reducing agents
• Ion-exchange purification
• Vacuum smelting
• Distillation & solvent separation

The goal: Achieve 99.95–99.999% purity, depending on metal type.

4. Recovery & Recasting

The final step transforms refined metals into:

• Bars
• Ingots
• Granules
• Powder
• Industrial-grade sheets

These forms are ready for resale, export, or manufacturing use.