Advanced material processing & preparation
At Sibanye-Stillwater Recycling operations, our mechanical reduction department is integral to our precious metal recycling operations. Designed to safely and efficiently process precious metal-bearing materials and prepare samples.
Using proprietary processing technology, materials are reduced to a consistent, uniform particle size to achieve homogeneous sweep sampling—an essential step in precise precious metal valuation.
Automated processing systems are employed throughout the mechanical reduction process to control noise levels, minimize airborne particulates, and maintain safe, environmentally responsible operations.
Why mechanical reduction matters
Precious metal-bearing materials are generated by a broad spectrum of industrial manufacturing processes. Without proper size reduction and homogenization, sampling inconsistencies can lead to inaccurate valuation and recovery losses.
Partnering with Sibanye-Stillwater Recycling operations ensures:
- Representative sampling and reliable analytical results
- Reduced precious metal losses
- Improved recovery efficiency across downstream processes
- Support for circular economy and sustainability initiatives
Know your metals
The Know your metals resource helps you understand how precious metals are used across industries. Explore each metal’s commercial applications, the types of waste streams it commonly appears in, and the recovery technologies used to reclaim it.
Au
Gold
Ag
Silver
Pt
Platinum
Pd
Palladium
Rh
Rhodium
Ir
Iridium
Gold
Gold is a critical precious metal valued for its excellent conductivity, corrosion resistance, and stability, with extensive use in semiconductor fabrication, electroplating, connector fabrication and assembly, medical device and jewelry manufacturing.
Gold frequently occurs in industrial waste streams such as spent plating solutions, filters, resin, sludges, stamping scrap, contact pins and karat jewelry.
Silver
Silver is a widely used precious metal known for its high electrical conductivity, antimicrobial properties, and reflectivity, making it essential in microelectronics, medical applications, film coating, chemical processing, jewelry manufacturing, electroplating and stamping industries.
Silver-bearing waste streams often include spent plating baths, filters, sludges and stampings.
Explore silver-bearing waste streams:
Platinum
Platinum is a critical precious metal widely used in pharmaceutical catalysts, jewelry manufacturing, automotive catalytic converters, fuel cell/electrolyzer applications, fiberglass manufacturing, and the aircraft/aerospace, microelectronics and medical industries.
Due to its chemical stability and catalytic properties, platinum frequently appears in industrial waste streams such as spent catalyst, acidic process solutions, plating baths, filter media, implantable medical components, fiberglass bushings and refractory, fuel cell MEAs, thermocouple wire, machining kerf, shavings and turnings.
Explore platinum-bearing waste streams:
- Jewellery manufacture
- Discarded electronic devices and electronics manufacturing
- Electroplating operations
- Medical device manufacturing and healthcare operations
- Defense manufacturing and maintenance operations
- Glass manufacturing
- Pharmaceuticals manufacture
- Industrial catalysts
- Automotive catalytic converters
- Nitric acid manufacture
Palladium
Palladium is a precious metal widely used in automotive catalytic converters, specialty chemical catalyst, conductive pastes, microelectronics/ceramic capacitors.
Owing to its excellent catalytic performance and electrical conductivity, palladium is commonly found in industrial waste streams such as spent catalysts, sludges, filter media, fired/green ceramic, thick film wipes & jars, canned/decanned catalytic converters and spent environmental catalysts.
Explore palladium-bearing waste streams:
- Jewellery manufacture
- Discarded electronic devices and electronics manufacturing
- Electroplating operations
- Medical device manufacturing and healthcare operations
- Defense manufacturing and maintenance operations
- Pharmaceuticals manufacture
- Industrial catalysts
- Automotive catalytic converters
- Nitric acid manufacture
Rhodium
Rhodium is a rare and valuable precious metal primarily used in automotive catalytic converters, chemical catalysts, fiberglass manufacturing, and plating industries.
Its high reflectivity and resistance to corrosion result in rhodium being found in waste streams including catalytic converters, spent plating baths, filters, fiberglass bushings and refractory.
Explore rhodium-bearing waste streams:
Iridium
Iridium is an extremely durable and corrosion-resistant precious metal used in chemical processing equipment, fuel cell manufacturing, specialty catalyst, and medical devices.
Due to its use in high-temperature and highly corrosive environments, iridium is commonly found in waste streams including electrolyzer scrap, spent coating solutions, spent catalyst and filters, medical device components such as electrodes, marker bands and cath tips.
Explore iridium-bearing waste streams:
Integrated processing across departments
The mechanical reduction department works in close coordination with our wet chemistry and thermal reduction departments, enabling seamless material flow, optimized recovery pathways, and consistent evaluation outcomes across the precious metal recycling process.
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Mechanical reduction
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Thermal reduction
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Wet chemistry
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Precious metal melt
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Electronic material classification
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Auto catalyst recycling
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Cleaning & recovery
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Bead blasting
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Granulation
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Transportation & logistics
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Analytical laboratory
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Partner with Sibanye-Stillwater Recycling operations
We support our partners with customized recycling programs aligned to their business and sustainability goals. Our technical experts work collaboratively with customers to improve recovery efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance, and convert complex waste streams into measurable value.
