Make The Most Of Spent Pharmaceutical Catalysts

Pharmaceutical processors use a variety of precious-metal-bearing catalysts in the manufacture of drugs and other products. For example, heterogeneous palladium on carbon, platinum on carbon, and palladium on calcium carbonate catalysts facilitate the hydrogenation of various intermediates. These materials are very expensive. In fact, platinum prices are the highest they've ever been and precious metals prices can fluctuate significantly. With precious metals values soaring to new highs, it makes economic sense for pharmaceutical manufacturers to work with a reliable precious metals refiner to reclaim the valuable metals remaining in spent catalysts.

Selecting A Precious Metals Refiner
Many factors should be considered when selecting a precious metals refiner. To maximize returns, choose a refiner that:

• Has "full service" and full in-house capabilities — from door-to-door shipping/handling, through thermal processing, sampling, and assaying, to prompt return of refined materials; using outside subcontractors for one or more of these activities can affect returns, increase process turnaround time, introduce possibilities of materials loss as a result of third-party handling (repackaging, shipping, etc.), and significantly impact environmental considerations.
• Handles and disposes of solids, liquids, and gaseous byproducts from its facilities in an environmentally responsible manner, and provides documentation of its environmental compliance.
• Employs state-of-the-art techniques and equipment for sampling and assaying the precious metals content of the materials to be reclaimed, including triplicate assaying, and provides detailed weight and analysis reports about shipments.
• Is able to cost-effectively recover virtually all of the precious metals remaining in the spent catalysts.
• Offers fast recovery/processing turnaround time, and has the financial resources to pay in a timely manner, in order to reduce precious metals financing costs.
• Has a long and successful history and good reputation within the industry, which can be measured by discussing the refiner's performance with its customers.