Do refiners take rhodium solution?

Jewelry Discussion
1

This is my first post and I very much appreciate all the posts and
everyones willingness to share info. My question is - How do you get
contaminated rhodium solution in a form that can be safely sent to a
refiner? Do refiners take rhodium solution?

cgehron

2

From recent experience, most refiners aren’t interested in rhodium
plate solution, because EPA rules make it so expensive to recover,
that it isn’t worth it for them. Some places will offer to send it
overseas for you, where laws are less stringent, but they urge that
you be sure there is enough to be recovered, because it is generally
pretty expensive, and takes several weeks. I have about 2 dz full
quart bottles that I would just love to sell (since rhodium is over
$5,000/oz), but sofar I haven’t found anyone willing to take it on
themselves in the USA. And I’m not willing to send overseas, and make
a financial commitment based on the gamble of amount of rhodium
recovered. A local deceased jewelers wife gave them to me several
years ago, so I have no idea how much rhodium is still there.

Ed in Kokomo

3

Pour all of your bottles together and add sodium hydroxide,let
it turn into rhodium hydroxide, just let it settle for weeks or
months and then you can end up with metallic rhodium.

4 
From recent experience, most refiners aren't interested in rhodium
plate solution, because EPA rules make it so expensive to recover,
that it isn't worth it for them. Some places will offer to send it
overseas for you, where laws are less stringent, but they urge
that you be sure there is enough to be recovered, because it is
generally pretty expensive, and takes several weeks. I have about 2
dz full quart bottles that I would just love to sell (since rhodium
is over $5,000/oz), but sofar I haven't found anyone willing to
take it on themselves in the USA. And I'm not willing to send
overseas, and make a financial commitment based on the gamble of
amount of rhodium recovered. A local deceased jewelers wife gave
them to me several years ago, so I have no idea how much rhodium is
still there.

Ed, Seattle Findings/Habson’s jewelry supply (the two companies have
either merged or share the same office here in Seattle) has a flier
on the door advertising just this service, that they’ll accept used
rhodium solution for refining. I didn’t read it carefully (but can,
tomorrow), but I seem to recall something like a 25 dollar buy price
per quart or something. Might be reasonable, given that usually, used
rhodium solution no longer has much rhodium in it. The company is not
the cheapest around for tools and supplies by a long shot (good for
burs and similar stuff when I need one now and can’t wait for an
order to be placed/delivered, as they’re downstairs from our office,
but otherwise, kinda pricey), so I’d not expect them to be offering
the very best deal around either. But if you’ve not found other
offers…

Let me know in email if you’d like me to check it out further for
you.

Peter

5

Joseph,

Pour all of your bottles together and add sodium hydroxide,,,,let
it turn into rhodium hydroxide,,, just let it settle for weeks or
months and then you can end up with metallic rhodium.

Thanks for this info. Is the Sodium Hydroxide a commonly available
chemical (poisons liscence)?

And also is the refining process for the “metallic rhodium” then the
same as say gold or palladium refining?

Cheers
Chris

6

Hi Chris,

Is the Sodium Hydroxide a commonly available chemical (poisons
liscence)?

Sodium hydroxide in it’s common form is ‘lye’. If you can use an
industrial grade as opposed to a laboratory or pharmacutical grade,
you can use the granular form of Draino.

Dave

7

I dont believe that it is hard to get or hazardous when handled
properly, check EBAY or Romanof (i think that is how it is spelled)
company in new york, also i have never done it myslef , but the
advice came to me from a highly knowledgeable preciousmeltas
expert, just be patient and basicly let the Rhodium hydroxide
evaporate/dry out over time and then this metallic stuff should be in
a non hazardous metallic form, check with your refiner on what
their lot charge is to process your metallic rhodium also ask them
what percentage of current market price do they pay,you may
just want to save it for a long time and get more…till it is
feasable…

did you know that Ruthenium is up to about $800.00 per troy
ounce,