Precious metals are crucial, yet often invisible in our everyday life. They are key materials that enable consumer electronics function, found in our mobile phones and computers. Keep our air clean in automotive catalysts or support key industrial processes in industrial catalysts. Moreover, they have the unique characteristic of being infinitely recyclable.
For over 20 years, Umicore Precious Metals Refining (UPMR) is a leading market reference in the assay-based refining of complex, precious metals bearing materials. Our innovative flowsheet, vast expertise in sampling and assaying, and our rigid ethical standards guarantee proper and environmentally sound valorisation of your materials.
Precious Metals Refining is well equipped to accurately determine the composition and efficiently refine a large variety of end of life products containing precious metals. Our tailor-made team will guide you through the process. We turn the waste of yesterday into materials for tomorrow.
Incineration bottom ashes
Increasing precious metals containing materials, such as end-of-life electronics, end up in incineration furnaces. The remainder bottom ashes contain both metallic and mineral fractions that can be further processed to extract precious metals. Umicore has the technology and the expertise to accurately sample, assay and refine these complex, precious metals bearing materials. Most precious metals are found in the fine heavy non-ferrous fraction from bottom ashes.
| Material | More information | Mnimum required volume | |
| Fine heavy non-ferrous fraction of bottom ashes |
Residual fraction after separation of mineral, unburnt plastics and ferrous fractions |
15 tot 25 tons |  |
| Other bottom ash fractions | Please contact us to find out more |
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