Williams Advanced Materials has over 90 years of experience with providing precious metal recovery services to our valued customers. Williams has built a strong reputation for providing industry leading refinery services and the highest precious metal returns. We offer full service refining solutions and total precious metal management with the shortest turnaround times.
Receiving

When precious metal scrap is received at our refineries, it is carefully weighed by two people using calibrated scales accurate to .001 oz. Material items and weights are checked against customers' advised information. Refining data is entered into our computer which generates customer receipt and process control forms.

precious metal receiving and inspection
Preparing for Sampling

A proper sample is representative of the total material, based on a scientific sampling of homogenous materials. Customer material sent to the refineries for reclaim is initially examined by experienced personnel, who choose the best sampling preparation process dependent on the nature of the material received. Processing may involve incineration, milling, screening, chemical leaching or smelting.
Sampling

Precious metal scrap is melted in an electric induction furnace and sampled in its molten state using vacuum sealed glass tubes. This method is preferred rather than driling cast bars, which may be segregated. After the fine screening process, dust is blended using scientifically proven "V" type rotating blenders. Three samples are taken - one for our refinery lab, one for the customer, and one sealed sample for possible umpire.

precious metal sampling
Assaying

Williams utilizes the classic fire assay process for Gold, which is the globally accepted method of choice for maximum accuracy. Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium and Silver are determined by either wet gravimetric or instrumental procedures such as ICAP or Mass Spectroscopy. Assay data is entered into our network computer, which calibrates the actual precious content used for customer settlement.

precious metal assaying
Settlement

Settlement is calculated based on recovered net metal content and is valued at set published metals markets less our charges. Williams offers many settlement options dependent on our customer needs: check, wire transfers, or credits of net dollar value to accounts.

recovered metal
Refining

Refining literally means to take some material, separate it into its constituents and create a purified product. Unlike many so-called "middlemen refineries" who only melt and assay scrap, Williams operates one of the largest, most efficient chemical refineries in the country. Our 15,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art refining facility was specifically designed to refine precious metal scrap materials received from our customers and our own manufacturing scrap by-products. Gold, Palladium, Platinum, Silver, Rhodium, and Ruthenium are refined to their purest forms and used on our production facility.

precious metal refinery
Environmental Compliance

Williams' refining facility and operation meets or exceeds all governmental regulations including OSHA, DEC and local Sewer Authority specifications. We have experienced Safety and Compliance Engineers on staff, along with highly capable associate technicians to monitor our processes, equipment and effluent. All metals, precious and nonprecious, are recycled. No by-products end up in landfills.