# Palladium recovery from catalytic converter.. Worth it?



## naandesh (Dec 22, 2020)

Dear friends, looking for suggestions. 
One of my regular scrape supplier, he offered catalytic converter ceramic filter. It's worth to buy and refining? He offered 140 USD per kg. But I can't process before on this type of palladium recovery. I assume It's purely gamble game.. What your opinion... How much recovery from 1kg? Can I go with palladium? 
Waiting for your vealuable suggestion.... 
Thanks with regards 
......


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## Lino1406 (Dec 22, 2020)

From 1kg without metal envelope, expect 3g Pd, 1g Pt, some Rh


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## naandesh (Dec 22, 2020)

Lino1406 said:


> From 1kg without metal envelope, expect 3g Pd, 1g Pt, some Rh



thanks LINO 1406 for information.
as per today kitco.com closing rate, palladium trade 70 usd/gram, platinum trade on 32 usd/gram, Rh not consider, value for recover metal is 210 for Pd,32 for Pt. total 242 usd, gross profit 102 usd, 20 usd chemicals and other expenses. i think refining above 10 kg batch its profitable. small quantity can't viable.....


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## Lino1406 (Dec 22, 2020)

Do not neglect Rh. And the major expense, waste disposal


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## nickvc (Dec 22, 2020)

Also remember you will not get all the values using wet chemistry which means you will have a toxic waste worth money.


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## bitgold (Jan 2, 2021)

There is a newer video of a guy smelting catalyst on youtube. 
part 1
https://youtu.be/cmnY41jqPGI
part 2
https://youtu.be/53Ru0whEbCA

I am currently researching how to separate the metals after cupelling... 

Also looking to find someone with an xrf gun willing to purchase my metals locally.


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## kjavanb123 (Jan 2, 2021)

bitgold said:


> There is a newer video of a guy smelting catalyst on youtube.
> part 1
> https://youtu.be/cmnY41jqPGI
> part 2
> ...



He should have used cryolite as Flux and silver as collecter added after the cats and Flux are molten for better recovery.


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## bitgold (Jan 2, 2021)

@ KJAVANB123 Nice! Thank you! I shall follow your advice I have yet to start! By chance would you have a source for said Flux? Or do you make it yourself?


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## kjavanb123 (Jan 3, 2021)

Cryolite should be available by your local chemical suppliers. Unless you live in Greenland or Iceland where cryolite is mined as natural rock, you need to buy synthetic ones from suppliers.


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## goldandsilver123 (Jan 3, 2021)

Using copper is better than silver, the solubility of PGMs is higher


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## bitgold (Dec 1, 2021)

@goldandsilver123 In the video he uses copper and it says that the cupellation process with copper draws precious metals down into the Cupel?


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 1, 2021)

I'm not sure Copper is well suited for cupellation. The temperature needed to oxidize and melting the oxides may be too high for the cupel, thus creating cracks that may absorb parts of the melt.

Better use pure Copper.
Then run it in a copper cell.
Or Silver the same way.

But Silver is not a good collector for Rhodium, so it may be cheaper and more practical to use Copper.

For cupellation Lead is better, maybe add some Copper and leave it in the button for later refining.

Just my 2 centavos


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 1, 2021)

I have seen these and others from him/them before I believe.

They may be wizzards with shakers and such, but their smelting and cupellation videos seems not to be too well thought out and performed.
Slightly haphazard.
Finding unmelted processors or honeycomb in the slags/button.

It seems a bit rushed. I think he also said that it was experiments.

Not to be used as guide for your own processing, but more as an inspiration to build upon.
With all respects, I have only seen the cpu and converter videos that I remember now.

Per-Ove


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## bitgold (Dec 2, 2021)

Yggdrasil said:


> I'm not sure Copper is well suited for cupellation. The temperature needed to oxidize and melting the oxides may be too high for the cupel, thus creating cracks that may absorb parts of the melt.
> 
> Better use pure Copper.
> Then run it in a copper cell.
> ...


A copper cell setup like a silver cell? Or is it a different process?


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 2, 2021)

bitgold said:


> A copper cell setup like a silver cell? Or is it a different process?


More or less, just search the forum.
Here is plenty i formation in here.
In stead of nitrate they use Copper sulfate usually.
Then have a proper anode bag of course.
Per-Ove


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## bitgold (Dec 21, 2021)

Yggdrasil said:


> I have seen these and others from him/them before I believe.
> 
> They may be wizzards with shakers and such, but their smelting and cupellation videos seems not to be too well thought out and performed.
> Slightly haphazard.
> ...


What temperature would fully dissolve the rhodium platinum and Palladium with a lead collector metal? My furnace only goes to 2200* I fear it's not hot enough... there's very little on the forum re Pyro/metallurgy?


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## bitgold (Dec 21, 2021)

bitgold said:


> What temperature would fully dissolve the rhodium platinum and Palladium with a lead collector metal? My furnace only goes to 2200* I fear it's not hot enough... there's very little on the forum re Pyro/metallurgy?


50-50 mix pulverized catalyst and cryolite.


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 21, 2021)

2200 what?
C or F?
Copper is a better collector than lead, but is not as good for cupellation.


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## bitgold (Dec 21, 2021)

Yggdrasil said:


> 2200 what?
> C or F?
> Copper is a better collector than lead, but is not as good for cupellation.


if I could do 2200 C I wouldn't be asking this question sir lol from what I read that copper melts at a higher point And my buyer is willing to buy the lead collector at no extra charge done with


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## bitgold (Dec 21, 2021)

bitgold said:


> if I could do 2200 C I wouldn't be asking this question sir lol from what I read that copper melts at a higher point And my buyer is willing to buy the lead collector at no extra charge done with


would copper work at 2200*f? Thank you!


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## Yggdrasil (Dec 21, 2021)

Hard to say, depending on how high you really get the temperature.
It is higher than copper needs, but just barely.
And then there are the other factors, the ceramics need even higher, maybe even with cryolite.
Only thing to do is wait for the experts to chime in or give it a try.


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## bitgold (Dec 21, 2021)

Yggdrasil said:


> Hard to say, depending on how high you really get the temperature.
> It is higher than copper needs, but just barely.
> And then there are the other factors, the ceramics need even higher, maybe even with cryolite.
> Only thing to do is wait for the experts to chime in or give it a try.


My table top furnace only hits 2200F I'm going to try lead outside next My buyer shot the slag with the xrf and there were still pgms in it... Saving it of course!


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