For engineers, recyclers, and industrial buyers, knowing precisely where to find platinum is the first step in securing this critical strategic metal. Platinum is deeply embedded in multiple core segments of modern industry due to its exceptional catalytic properties, stability, and high-temperature resistance. Its sources extend beyond mines, being widely distributed across various end-of-life industrial products and components. According to data from the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), recycled platinum accounted for approximately 20% of the global total supply in 2024, amounting to nearly 1.5 million ounces—a critical supply chain segment that cannot be overlooked.
In high-precision crucibles and electrodes within laboratory equipment;
In S-type and R-type thermocouple wires used across industrial furnaces and kilns;
In catalytic converters for automobiles, aircraft, ships, and especially high-displacement diesel vehicles;
In dental crowns and restorations crafted by dental laboratories and clinics;
In turbine blade coatings and electronic components within the aerospace industry;
In the titanium anode coatings of massive electrolytic cells in chlor-alkali plants.
These dispersed sources form a vast secondary resource market. Professional recyclers like DONGSHENG Precious Metal Recycling efficiently process these materials, returning platinum to the industrial supply chain.
Below are the top six industrial applications and products with the highest platinum content:
When sourcing industrial platinum scrap, catalytic converters from end-of-life vehicles are the primary target. This represents the single largest global consumer of platinum, accounting for approximately 40% of total platinum demand annually according to WPIC reports. Among these, large diesel-powered sedans, SUVs, and light trucks from European and American brands contain the highest platinum concentrations. In practice, recyclers prioritize vehicles exceeding 10 years of service or 150,000 miles. The dismantled converter consists of a metal canister housing a honeycomb-shaped ceramic or metal carrier. Precious metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium adhere to the channel surfaces as micron-level coatings. The recycling process involves mechanical crushing, high-temperature smelting, and chemical refining. Since individual converters yield only 2 to 6 grams of platinum, economic viability relies entirely on large-scale processing. Notably, the EU's CEBRA innovation project is pioneering the use of 100% recycled platinum group metals to manufacture new catalytic converters, underscoring the importance of closed-loop recycling in this sector.
The chlor-alkali industry represents another key sector where high-value industrial platinum scrap can be sourced. Thousands of chlor-alkali plants worldwide produce chlorine and caustic soda by electrolyzing brine using either the diaphragm or ion-exchange membrane process. The anodes within their core electrolyzer equipment are critical. Since the 1970s, the industry standard has been the use of “Dimensionally Stable Anodes” (DSA). These feature a titanium mesh substrate coated with an active layer composed of platinum group metal oxides (primarily ruthenium, but often including platinum). These anode plates operate for years within the highly corrosive environment of chlorine gas. When the coating's activity declines or the titanium substrate deteriorates, they become a significant source of platinum scrap. The direct route to sourcing such scrap involves establishing connections with the equipment maintenance departments of chlor-alkali plants or designated third-party service providers. A single large-scale electrolysis unit contains hundreds of anodes, so scrap typically occurs in bulk quantities. Recycling requires separating the titanium substrate from the precious metal coating through methods like chemical dissolution, presenting a relatively high technical barrier.
Platinum-group precious metal catalysts find extensive application across petrochemical, chemical, and fine chemical industries, representing the primary sourcing arena for specialized recyclers. These catalysts typically utilize alumina or activated carbon as carriers, with platinum loaded in ultrafine particle form. Examples include catalysts used in petroleum reforming units to enhance gasoline octane ratings, platinum-rhodium-palladium mesh for ammonia oxidation in nitric acid production, and various homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts employed in siloxane and pharmaceutical intermediate synthesis. When catalysts become spent, plants typically replace them, rendering the spent catalysts a high-grade platinum feedstock. Based on experience, you need to understand the replacement cycles and forms of catalysts in different process stages, while paying attention to potential impurities (such as sulfur, phosphorus, and organic matter) that may affect subsequent refining recovery rates. Recovery processes typically involve incineration to remove organic matter, followed by hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical extraction. Major global chemical industrial parks are the areas where such waste materials are most concentrated.
Under the demanding requirements of aerospace engineering, platinum finds applications in extreme environments. A primary use involves creating protective coatings for single-crystal high-temperature alloy turbine blades. Within engine cores exceeding 1500°C, platinum-aluminum coatings effectively resist high-temperature oxidation and thermal corrosion, significantly extending blade lifespan. When blades reach their service limit, this coating becomes a potential recycling source, though extraction techniques are highly complex. Additionally, platinum-based alloys may be used in certain critical spacecraft electronics, spark plug electrodes, and ignition components of early jet engines. Sourcing such platinum scrap is typically associated with aviation maintenance and overhaul (MRO) enterprises, specialized blade remanufacturers, or aerospace equipment manufacturers. Its scrap forms are specialized and sources dispersed, yet individual items hold immense value, demanding far greater precision in recycling technology than general industrial waste.
In industrial scenarios requiring precise high-temperature measurement, platinum exists in the form of wires. Platinum-rhodium thermocouples (commonly types S, R, and B) serve as the “eyes” for high-temperature furnace and engine testing in steel, glass, ceramics, semiconductor, and aerospace industries. For instance, an S-type thermocouple consists of one platinum-rhodium 10 alloy wire and one pure platinum wire, capable of stable long-term operation at temperatures up to 1600°C. These thermocouples may fail during use due to contamination, grain growth, or mechanical damage. Replaced thermocouples constitute high-grade platinum scrap, containing over 90% precious metals. Sourcing such scrap requires targeting large metallurgical plants, glass furnaces, heat treatment workshops, and industrial furnace manufacturers. Recovery typically requires only simple smelting and refining to obtain high-purity platinum-rhodium alloys, making them highly sought-after materials for recyclers.
Finally, platinum exists in biomedical alloy form within dental clinics and technician laboratories. Although gold-based or non-precious metal alloys are currently mainstream, platinum-containing alloys (often combined with gold, palladium, or other precious metals) are still used in high-end or specialized dental restorations—such as the bases of porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns or bridges—to ensure superior biocompatibility, strength, and casting precision. After decades of service in patients' mouths, these restorations may enter recycling channels when teeth require treatment for new issues or upon the patient's passing. Dental precious metal scrap is typically collected by dental clinics or acquired directly from laboratories by specialized precious metal scrap buyers. It is characterized by highly dispersed sources and small individual weights (a single crown weighs only a few grams), yet features well-defined alloy compositions and high purity. The recycling process primarily involves direct smelting followed by composition analysis, then separation and purification through electrolytic or chemical methods.
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