#refining-laboratory

Choosing the right precious metal refiner is a major decision for any business that depends on accurate metal recovery—from jewelers and manufacturers to pawnshops, dental labs, and industrial recyclers. When your materials go to a trustworthy refiner, you get transparent melt procedures, clean sampling, accurate assays, and straightforward settlement terms for every lot of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, or mixed scrap.

But the wrong refiner can quietly drain profit through inconsistent weighing, unclear deductions, weak testing methods, or slow payouts. This introduction lays out the essential factors every business should check before sending material to a refining facility—so you choose a partner built on accuracy, integrity, and financial accountability.

Understanding Refiners — What Do They Actually Do?

A precious metal refiner recovers valuable metals—gold, silver, platinum, and palladium—from recycled scrap and manufacturing materials. This work involves melting the material, taking controlled samples, and running accurate assay tests to understand the true purity and value of each lot. To keep results consistent, refiners use reliable methods like fire assay, XRF testing, wet chemistry, and proper melt homogenization.

Refiners handle many types of material, including jewelry scrap, bench sweeps, filings, polishing dust, dental alloys, fabrication scrap, and industrial byproducts. Their main responsibility is to give businesses a clear, documented breakdown of the recovered metal content—so the settlement they receive is verified, transparent, and based on real measurements.

Key Criteria to Evaluate Before Selecting a Refiner

Choosing a precious metal refiner comes down to a few key factors that directly affect how accurately you get paid, how transparent the process is, and how confidently you can trust the partnership. Begin by checking the refiner’s assay method—whether they use fire assay, XRF, or another proven testing approach—and make sure their melt and sampling procedures are consistent, documented, and open for you to verify.

Look closely at the fee schedule, including any treatment charges, melting costs, or stated metal loss allowances, and confirm that every deduction is clearly explained. It’s also important to review the refiner’s reputation, certifications, and regulatory compliance history to understand how responsibly they operate. Beyond this, consider their settlement speed, how they secure materials, how well they maintain chain-of-custody, and whether they provide detailed assay reports or allow you to observe the melt. These checks help you choose a refiner who values precision, honesty, and consistent recovery just as much as you do.

Red Flags — How to Identify an Unreliable Refiner?

Unreliable refiners usually reveal themselves through poor transparency, inconsistent melt practices, and unpredictable settlement behavior.

One of the biggest red flags is when a refiner cannot clearly explain whether they use fire assay, XRF, or another proper testing method—or when they refuse to let customers see or verify the melt and sampling steps.

Another warning sign is a fee structure that keeps changing. Sudden shifts in treatment charges, melting costs, or stated metal loss allowances often point to weak internal controls or questionable honesty. You should also watch for undocumented assay results, inconsistent weights, unexplained deductions, and avoidable delays in the payment cycle.

If a refiner blocks melt observation, withholds assay reports, or alters settlement terms after receiving your material, the risk of underpayment or value loss increases significantly.

Spotting these issues early helps protect your business from unnecessary losses and unreliable partnerships.

Why Many Businesses Choose Established Refiners Like Mid-States?

Mid-States Recycling has earned its reputation over more than 40 years in the precious metal refining industry, building on the strong foundation set by the Simmons Refining Co. in the late 1960s. When Mid-States opened in 1982, key Simmons employees joined the company, carrying forward a culture centered on accuracy, integrity, and deep technical expertise. That commitment still shows today, with an original Simmons team member leading trading operations and a head chemist with over four decades of experience in chemical engineering and precious metal analysis overseeing the lab.

One of the biggest reasons businesses choose Mid-States is its open-door policy—a level of transparency most refiners don’t offer. Customers can personally watch the weigh-in, see photographic documentation, observe melt homogenization, and follow the entire corrected fire assay process. This hands-on visibility gives clients confidence in both the recovery accuracy and the final settlement.

Mid-States also makes shipping and valuation easy. They offer insured FedEx pickups, office collection, and digital tools such as the Karat Kalculator and Online Packing List. On the financial side, the team closely tracks major global metal markets—including NYMEX, COMEX, LME, and Globex—so customers can lock in prices when it makes sense or choose to receive their metals in shot, crystal, sponge, or bar form.

Accuracy remains at the core of their refining process, which uses the corrected fire assay supported by XRF analysis and strict internal controls. Payments are fast—often within five business days—and customers can take advantage of hedging, material advances, or consignment pricing with automated triggers to time the market efficiently.

Quick Checklist Before You Send Your Materials

Before sending your precious metals to a refiner, it helps to run through a clear checklist so nothing gets overlooked. Start by identifying exactly what you’re shipping—whether it’s jewelry scrap, bench sweeps, filings, polishing dust, dental alloys, or fabrication scrap. Keeping each type separated, properly labeled, and securely packaged will prevent mix-ups and preserve accuracy during processing.

Next, confirm the refiner’s accepted materials and the assay method they’ll use, such as corrected fire assay or XRF analysis. Make sure you have all required documentation ready, including the packing list or any digital forms submitted through tools like the Online Packing List. If the refiner provides insured pickup or on-site collection, schedule it ahead of time so the transfer is smooth and trackable.

Take a moment to review the melting charges, treatment fees, and any stated metal loss allowances, since these directly affect your final payout. Identify your account representative and ensure you have visibility into the chain-of-custody from the moment your shipment leaves your facility until the settlement is complete. Following this checklist helps ensure a transparent, accurate, and well-documented refining experience.

Why Choosing the Right Refiner Directly Impacts Your Bottom Line?

The refiner you choose has a direct effect on how much value you ultimately recover from your precious metals. A trusted refiner follows strict weigh-in procedures, performs proper melt homogenization, and uses reliable assay methods like corrected fire assay backed by XRF analysis. These steps ensure that the actual precious metal content in your material is measured accurately and paid out fairly.

On the other hand, working with the wrong refiner can cost you money. Opaque testing practices, inconsistent melting workflows, and undisclosed fees—such as treatment charges, melting fees, or inflated metal loss allowances—directly reduce your settlement. Slow payment cycles and unclear settlement terms can also disrupt cash flow and hurt profitability.

Your earnings also depend on how well a refiner helps you navigate the market. Refiners who actively follow major exchanges and offer price locks, hedging options, or consignment pricing allow you to take advantage of market movements and secure better returns.

Choosing a reputable refiner protects your material value, reduces unnecessary deductions, and ensures your payments are accurate, transparent, and aligned with real market conditions.

Related Reading

If you’d like to explore more of the refining processes mentioned in this guide, here are related Mid-States services that offer deeper detail:

Gold Refining Services — Learn how Mid-States handles weighing, melt homogenization, and corrected fire assay for gold scrap.

Silver Refining Process — See how silver materials are evaluated, melted, and accurately assayed for consistent returns.

Platinum & PGM Refining — Review Mid-States’ approach to refining platinum and other platinum-group metals with high-precision chemical and fire assay methods.

Precious Metal Recycling Services — Explore the broader recycling workflow for mixed materials, sweeps, and low-grade sources.

Key Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Refiner

Before you commit to a precious metal refiner, it’s important to ask a set of focused questions that reveal how they operate and whether their process aligns with your needs. Begin by understanding their refining methodology:

Which assay techniques do they rely on — the corrected fire assay, XRF analysis, or a combination of both?

Are you allowed to watch the melt, verify weigh-ins, or review sampling protocols through an open-access or open-door policy?

Next, take a close look at their cost framework:

What are their melting charges, treatment fees, and stated metal loss allowances?

Are all deductions clearly itemized, documented, and explained upfront?

Clarify their settlement timeline, including how long payments typically take and whether they offer advances on material. Then ask how they handle market movement:

Do they monitor major exchanges such as NYMEX, COMEX, LME, or Globex?

Do they provide tools like price locks, hedging, or consignment pricing to help you take advantage of market conditions?