The demand for gold recycling continues to increase, and understanding the gold extraction process can help you decide what to do with your unwanted gold. In 2020, the World Gold Council reported that recycled gold was 28% of the total global gold supply. In 2024, it has risen to 32%. Recycling gold is still a relatively new process, with few large-scale productions worldwide. However, with the growing demand and ever-evolving technology to make the process more efficient and environmentally safe, recycled gold could be as commonplace as recycled water bottles in the next few decades.
Where You Will Find Gold
While gold coins and jewelry might seem like the only source of gold, it can be found in many other places. Because it is non-toxic, for instance, gold has historically been used in dental fillings, though these have fallen out of favor because of their price.
Due to its reliable electrical conductivity, gold is also found in mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices. Although many people throw out their old cell phones, this method of gold recycling, if implemented on a large scale, could reduce mining demand and help preserve the environment. For every 1 million cell phones recycled, approximately 75 pounds of gold could be extracted and reused.
The Gold Extraction Process
Professionals use a gold extraction process to remove the metal to recover recyclable gold. The process varies depending on the application, but it typically involves an acidic mixture that separates the gold from other materials.
After that part of the gold extraction process, the gold is sifted from the resulting materials and melted to form a bar, nugget, or other solid shapes. Gold melting typically involves a crucible, and the temperature required to melt it depends on its purity. Pure gold, or .9999 fine gold, melts at 1947.52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Melting and Smelting Gold
Before professionals pursue gold melting, they sort it based on its purity. Pure gold, known in jewelry as 24K gold, has no impurities and is sorted separately from lesser qualities of gold during the gold recycling process. Depending on the circumstances, professionals can use an electronic tester or an acid kit to test for purity levels.
After the gold melting process, the recycling separates each purity level so that bars or nuggets remain consistent. For instance, you wouldn’t want to melt 24-karat gold and 8-karat gold into the same bar. Recyclers can also smelt impure gold to increase its purity level.
Reusing Gold
Recycled gold has many applications across several industries. From your car’s catalytic converter to your home’s air-conditioning unit, many products you use daily contain gold. Jewelers can also use recycled gold to make new pieces, from rings and bracelets to necklaces, earrings, and even gold coins.
