Heraeus debuts Circlear recycled-content gold, silver

Germany-based Heraeus Precious Metals has introduced a product line under the brand name Circlear made with 100 percent-recycled-content precious metals.

Circlear metals are based on a mass balance approach with a "significantly lower carbon footprint” that has been certified by Munich, Germany-based Technischer Überwachungsverein (TÜV) Süd.

Circlear products are available for seven types of metal: gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium. The wide portfolio of Circlear products means Heraeus can cater to diverse industrial applications, such as chemical products, catalytic gauzes, electrical contacts and pharmaceutical ingredients, the company says.

The Circlear metals originate from secondary sources that include spent chemical or automotive catalysts.

Recycled precious metals have the same quality and purity as material from primary extraction but an up to 98 percent lower carbon footprint, Heraeus says. “One kilogram of recycled precious metals saves up to 33 metric tons of CO₂, which equates to the average carbon dioxide emissions of a new EU passenger car traveling more than 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles),” the company adds.

In accordance with ISO 14021, TÜV Süd has verified the recycled precious metals content in Circlear products amounts to 100 percent.

Circlear metals will be available for the European market and may be launched in other regions soon, the company indicates.

Heraeus Precious Metals operates 11 recycling facilities in seven countries and says between 2018 and 2026 it will have invested a total of 300 million euros to increase its capacity in Europe, North America and Asia.

“For decades, circularity has been part of Heraeus Precious Metals’ DNA,” Heraeus CEO André Christl says. “We recognize our customers’ growing demand for sustainable solutions. With Circlear, we offer a solution that allows our customers to reduce their Scope 3 carbon footprint and to accurately track their progress towards their sustainability goals.”