Anyone who collects and recycles spent catalytic converters also knows that they are valuable. Why they are valuable is because they contain platinum, rhodium and palladium. These are precious metals that are collectively known as Platinum Group Metals (PMG).
Converters from petrol vehicles contain Platinum (Pt), Rhodium (Rh) and Palladium (Pd), while converters from diesel vehicles contain only contain Rhodium and Platinum.
As a rough guide, the estimated amount of PGMs found in each type of catalytic converter are as follow:
Cars – 2- 6 grams
Light-duty trucks – 2 – 6 grams
Motorcycles – 1 – 4 grams
SUVs – 6 – 30 grams
Trucks – 6 – 30 grams
The value of the converters is affected by the amount of PGM, the prevailing market prices of PGM and condition of the converter (whether it is new, used or damaged). However, the amount and composition of PGM in the converters differs from region to region, country to country and even from state to state within the same country.
Last but not least, it’s also important to keep in mind that what recycling companies like us will take a cut from the PGM recovered to cover our labour, cost of metal extraction, overhead, and a slim profit margins so that we continue to provide the quality service and honest returns that we’ve are known for.
Feel free to reach out to us at info@brmetalsltd.com for any questions about catalytic converters recycling or how to maximise the returns for recycling your catalytic converters.
