A precious metal refinery is a facility where metals are extracted from ore and converted into a purer form. The metals may be purified for use in jewelry, coins, or other applications.
The process of refining metals can vary depending on the type of metal being refined. For example, gold is typically refined using a process known as fire assay, while silver is refined using a process called electrolysis.
Fire Assay
Fire assay is a process that has been used for centuries to extract gold from ore. The ore is placed in a crucible, and then a mixture of lead and flux is added. Flux is a substance used to promote the flow of molten material.
The crucible is then placed in a furnace and heated to a temperature of more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The lead and flux melt and the impurities in the ore are burned off, leaving behind only the gold.
The gold-lead alloy that remains is poured into a mold to cool and solidify. Once it has cooled, the lead is removed, leaving behind pure gold.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to separate silver from impurities. In this process, the silver ore is placed in an electrolytic cell, which contains two electrodes. The positive electrode is an anode and the negative electrode is a cathode.
When an electrical current is passed through the cell, the silver ionizes and is drawn to the cathode, while the impurities are drawn to the anode. This process continues until all of the silver has been extracted from the ore.
A precious metal refinery plays an important role in the jewelry industry by extracting metals from an ore and purifying them for use in jewelry, coins, or other applications.
If you are interested in learning about the precious metal refinery, we are here to help at Bay Area Metals. For more details, visit us today.
