All, I have a question about refining.Does say for instance Hoover
and Strong take your scrap,filings and buffing material and throw it
in with every one elses to refine it or is it refined in individual
lots?Also can they separate platinum from your filings and scrapJ
Morley Coyote Ridge Studio
Since your lot is your lot, they have to refine it individually or
they’ll have no idea who gets paid what.
Regarding platinum: I wrote an article called “Refined Manners” for
the October 1999 AJM . If I may, let me quote a quick passage:
"It’s in your best interest to let the refiner know what’s in your
scrap. While all refiners will automatically assay for gold, they will
not go hunting for other metals–platinum is the most popular
request–unless they’re told to. The reason for this is two-fold:
First, it’s costly and time-consuming for the refiner (and that cost
is passed on to the [customer]); second, it avoids potential conflict.
‘Say we just go ahead and assay for platinum, and we only find 0.02
oz., which isn’t payable,’ says [Steve] Warbet [of Republic Metals].
‘We need to get paid for doing the assay, but the [customer] might say
he didn’t ask us to do it.’"
So the upshot is: yes, they can assay for platinum, but it’ll likely
cost you, so be sure the amount in your scrap is worth the expense!
Does say for instance Hoover and Strong take your scrap,filings and buffing material and throw it in with every one elses to refine it or is it refined in individual lots?Also can they separate platinum from your filings and scrap
Hoover and Strong has done a good job for me over the years. They
will seperate gold, silver, and platinum but you will pay extra for
each service. They have a very detailed description of their process
for handeling your material in their catalog and on their web site,
It is always a good idea to segregate your scrap in house. Most
refiners will charge extra for segregation. Furthermore, there is
absolutely nothing wrong with making up jewelry with scrap metal,
especially if you use Miracle Cast with your yellow scrap. The
results are consistently good and cannot be discerned as being scrap.
IT IS important that this method be accompanied by full
disclosure…ergo, no karat stamping. You simply tell the customer
that the item was made from scrap and the karat ratio is liable to be
somewhat off of fourteen. You can also tell the customer that he is
getting a better deal inasmuch as supply house gold is accompanied by
a surcharge. We frequently recast the customer’s scrap and we have
NEVER had a problem. Furthermore,the customer often attaches a great
deal of sentiment to the old gold and is pleased to retain it in a usable
form. Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA
Hoover and Strong handles your scrap as individual lots and yes they
can pull platinum out of filings and scrap. They do it for us all the
time. Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Spirer Somes Jewelers
1794 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-491-6000
@spirersomes
www.spirersomes.com
J. Morely, Of late, after abot 25 years of expeimentation, I seem to
have settled down with Hoover & Strong. Your metals will be assayed
seperately and you will be compensated from there. believe that the
refining only happens with large lots, Yours might be large enoiugh. I
usually send in 100-200dwt of benchsweeps at a time with the other
stuff going in yearly. Over the years, I have complained bitterly
about lost platinum. My complaints have included all refiners. First,
there is generally a
Bruce Holmgrain JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler
http://www.goldwerx.com
If you use a refiner like Jelenko (dental trade) you will be paid for
Platinum, paladium, gold and silver. I don’t understand why anyone
use any refiner that would not pay you for all the metals you send in
for refining. Regardless of the minute amount of whatever at least
you are informed as to content. I realise it is a pain to prep the
return and easier to sell to the “scrap guy”, but folks “Thar’s
platinum, palladium, gold and silver in them thar sweeps, buffs, and
dust”.
Mike
when a refiner smelts they do it one costomer at a time. they burn
all paper(s), melt all the metal(s) then they take a sample of this
and analyze it. whatever is found, x% of this and that metal is what
they use in division of the total weight of what you sent them. one
more thing. a refiners reputation in this business is their most
valuable asset since they could easily cheat you. we’ve used a number
of them. for the past three years we’ve been using Refining One in
providence. you may want to find one in your area since shipping
charges as well as refining charges can subtract from what your return
is.
JH