Gold & silver scrap

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hello Everyone,

Over the past few years I have accumulated quite a bit of gold and
sterling scrap and have not ever turned it in for recovery. I am
looking for recommendations for places to turn metal in and generally
how it works. Your comments and experience are appreciated. Thanks.

Grace in Cleveland

2

We have been very happy with Precious Metals West in Los Angeles
California…they can refine your scrap and return it to you in
product (they produce an amazing array of casting grain, solder,
sheet…etc) or place it on Tare for future purchases or send a check
for the value.

Besides being absolutely trustworthy, they are not as particular
about the seperation and cleanliness of the scrap. Some refiners
won’t touch it if all scrap isn’t same karat and clean.

In addition their return rate is very competitve.

I don’t have their web address handy but they do have a web site.
They also sponsor the Kraftwerks conference that this year feature
Pedro Boregaard, Erica Courtney, Paula Crevoshay and others.

Other wise they can be found in the JA directory or the Los Angeles
listing . Let me know if you have trouble reaching them…I’ll
unearth my rolodex.

Gianna

3

Hoover and Strong in Richmond VA is incredibly honest, reliable and
relatively quick. It is easier for them to deal with if you separate
out your gold from your silver but it isn’t critical.

Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
www.spirersomes.com

4 
I am looking for recommendations for places to turn metal in and
generally how it works.

Unless you have a ton of silver, just hang onto it until you do. The
gold is a different mater though. You can check with Hover and
Strong on the process. They have a good set of instructiions and
tips in both their catalog and their web site.
http://www.hooverandstrong.com/ Look under services and then
refining. I have used them for about six years now and am pleased
with the recovery and fast service.

Don

5

Grace, There are many refiners around the country. I have been using
Garfield in Philadelphia. If you call them,(1-800-523-0968), they
will send you a prepaid UPS shipping label. They will also send daily
scrap metal price quotes via email. Payment is available in a number
of forms, cash, gold coins, gold casting grain, etc. I have found them
to be efficient and easy to deal with. The usual disclaimers apply,
just happy with their service. Joel Joel Schwalb @Joel_Schwalb
www.schwalbstudio.com

6 
    Over the past few years I have accumulated quite a bit of gold
and sterling scrap and have not ever turned it in for recovery.  I
am looking for recommendations for places to turn metal in and
generally how it works. Your comments and experience are
appreciated.   Thanks.

Would just like to suggest you hold on to it for awhile longer as I
think gold and silver will take a nice pop up shortly.

7

Hauser & Miller in St. Louis, Missouri refine scrap. They are very
punctual in payment and a fine company with whom to work. Suggest
you call them at 1 800 462 7447 for details on how to do this.

Razine M. Wenneker, Manager
Ellie Rose LINK-ABLE Designs, L.L.C.
Site: www.link-able.com
Email: @Razine_Wenneker1

8

I refine my own with acid. It’s not a little dangerous unless you
know what you’re doing but at least you know you’re getting out what
you put in!

On this topic I just had a bad day. I made a big gold bezel up out
of scrap that had been melted a few times before (approx 10 + carat)
and it just doesn’t want to know about solder even starting to melt
before the Medium. The solder just refuses to flow. Won’t anneal
properly either. I’m 99% certain it’s not contaminated.

Can the properties of gold alloy radically change with a few
meltings?

Thanks,
david valentine

9 
             Hello Everyone, Over the past few years I have
accumulated quite a bit of gold and sterling scrap and have not ever
turned it in for recovery.  I am looking for recommendations for
places to turn metal in and generally how it works. Your comments
and experience are appreciated. Thanks.

Grace, You might check out geib refining… contact Ron
steel…800-228-4653

ANDY

10

I have been using United Precious Metal Refining- 1800-999-FINE for
years with great results. Fast turn-around, great accountability, and
they offer sheet and wire as alternatives for cash. Ask for Angelo
Lorenzo and tell him Teddybear sent you. Not affiliated with the
company in any way other than a very happy customer. PS United is a
wealth of about metals, casting, problems, etc. TBear

11

Hello Andy, For about 15 years, I acumulated and sent in 3 years of
sweeps to a refiner. I recieved back about 10 ounces of pure gold and
about 3 ounces of platinum. It never seemed like much, but I took it.
On a chance, I sent the refining to a different company and recieved
back 28 ounces of gold and 9 ounces of platinum. The new company was
(and still is) Hoover and Strong. They are in Richmond, Va. I don’t
know anyone there, but highly recommend them. Tom Arnold

12 
    Hello Andy, For about 15 years, I acumulated and sent in 3
years of sweeps to a refiner. I recieved back about 10 ounces of
pure gold and about 3 ounces of platinum. It never seemed like much,
but I took it. On a chance, I sent the refining to a different
company and recieved back 28 ounces of gold and 9 ounces of
platinum. The new company was (and still is) Hoover and Strong. They
are in Richmond, Va. I don't know anyone there, but highly recommend
them. Tom Arnold

You really have to be cautious about just what refiner you send your
sweeps to – and also they need to know that you are knowledgeable
about such things.

I worked for some years at a small motion picture lab. Our used
fixing bath was collected in a tank, which was periodically collected
by the refiner, and we’d get a check for maybe about $25. Then one
day we made some changes; we began removing the silver from the fixing
bath using Zinc dust, and then we sent the sludge in to a different
company to be refined. What an eye-opener! Mucho bucks! then I moved
to Hollywood and began working (for Kodak) with motion picture
processing labs there, who were large enough to do their recovery
electrolyticallly. And found that they very carefully weigh all the
silver they send back to refined, and also analyze it for purity. So
the refiner knows that the lab knows just how much they should be
getting. And that is the key. The refiner has to know that you know
what you are sending them, otherwise they will play you for a sucker.

margaret