Of the precious metals we refine here at Manhattan Gold & Silver, palladium is the least well known. Perhaps that’s because it tends to play second fiddle in articles of jewelry. For example, palladium is often alloyed with gold to make white gold, but there are not many pure palladium pieces of jewelry. However, as we’ve come to see with other precious metals, there are many other applications for palladium besides jewelry.

The most common use for palladium is in catalytic converters for automobiles and other engine equipped machines. A catalytic converter contains catalysts which convert (hence, the name) the toxic substances in engine exhaust into inert or less toxic substances. This produces a cleaner exhaust that conforms to EPA standards. Catalytic converters can use a number of different catalysts, but palladium is among the cheapest and most effective. Interestingly, catalytic converters are one of the top uses for palladium, and reclaimed catalytic converters are a big source of palladium.

Another common use for palladium is in multilayer ceramic capacitors. These are an important part of common electronics equipment such as cell phones, laptops, fax machines, etc. Palladium is also used in connector plating for a number of electronics.

Palladium’s applications in chemistry and electronics indicate that it may become even more useful as technology progresses. Right now, palladium is being studied to find its potential for use in fuel cells and for hydrogen storage. It just may be the metal of the future.  Please keep in mind we do not refine catalytic converters.  However, we do process palladium dental and jewelry material, also other high-grade industrial palladium products.

You may not be 100% sure what palladium is, but chances are that you have it around you, from your cell phone to your car, you are definitely interacting with a variety of objects containing palladium day by day. Interestingly, over half of the supply of palladium (and part of the platinum available) goes into manufacturing catalytic converters, which convert up to 90% of harmful gases from auto exhaust into less harmful substances. So what is palladium? And if it is a precious metal, what's it doing in auto supplies?

Palladium is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston, who named if after the asteroid Pallas. Palladium, along with platinum, rhodium ruthenium, iridium, and osmium are all referred to as the “platinum group metals” (PGMs). These "platinum group metals" have some chemical properties in common, but palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense of these precious metals. 

It’s those qualities: its beautiful lustrous whiteness combined with its lower melting point and malleability that make palladium one of the most popular metals used in making white gold alloys. Palladium-gold is more expensive than nickel-gold, but there is far less risk of allergic reactions with palladium-gold than with other mixtures. The lower risk of allergic reactions is also what makes it ideal for dental work when a white-gold is desired.

Deposits of palladium are rare, but it is found in South Africa and a mine complex in Montana, as well as locations in Ontario, Canada and Russia. However, a lot of this metal is simply recycled back into the system from scrapped catalytic converters.

Because of the relative scarcity, palladium’s price is very much market driven with an interesting story or two in its history. For instance, in the run up to the year 2000, the palladium supply coming from Russia was disrupted. The disruption was so powerful that the price was driven to an all-time high of $1,100 per ounce in 2001. Among the worried buyers was the Ford Motor Company, which was concerned about a shortage and hoarded large amounts of the metal purchased near the market's peak. The supply opened up in early 2001 and Ford lost money as a result of its exuberant purchasing.

For our purposes, we're happy to receive and remelt dental palladium, gold or platinum at our Manhattan location and return the value of those metals based on the London Daily Fixing. We can also assist in the recycling of most unwanted palladium-containing equipment. We've been serving customers since 1985. Contact us and let us know how we can help you.

If you've been watching the news lately, you may have seen some concerning reports about silver amalgam fillings. Some studies have expressed concern that silver amalgam fillings may be linked to chronic illnesses like asthma and allergies, and other medical conditions due to trace amounts of Mercury they contain.

As a result of such news stories, many consumers and dental patients are opting to have their dentists replace their older silver amalgam fillings with newer, Mercury-free composite fillings.  Most modern dentists offer composites, which cost slightly more than the amalgams, but can be color-matched to patients’ teeth for an almost “invisible” appearance.

We actually do not process the silver filling due to the mercury they contain.  We strongly advise clients not to melt the material and avoid buying it.  Dental gold and palladium is not a problem for us to process.  The price of silver continues to be strong and we pay for your dental gold based on the London Daily Fixing.  In addition, if you have any unwanted equipment or apparatuses from your practice that contain silver, gold, platinum, or palladium, we can also assist with recycling those. Contact us today to learn about how we can help with all your dental precious metals refining needs.