This drum contains $25,000 worth of platinum which would have otherwise been lost to waste but which was recovered from a very dilute solution and concentrated on to a PhosphonicS proprietary material.  Streams with concentrations of less than 1 ppm can be treated economically using standard plant equipment.  

A typical project starts with a generic screening to identify the mixture of scavengers best suited for the process.  This is followed by laboratory fixed bed trials to determine full-scale parameters and to confirm the economic model.

After processing , the metal-loaded material is a dry powder containing up to 5 wt% precious metals.  This powder is easily, economically and safely transported.  The metal is bonded in a way that without specialised technical training it is un-recoverable reducing concerns regarding theft.  Existing relationships with refiners, including Heraeus, who process the loaded material to recover the pure metal, provides lot-specific identification during refining, increasing transparency and allowing for end-to-end auditing and refereeing.
 

A key part of PhosphonicS technology is the silica medium.  This results in a non-compressible, free flowing powder which can be operated with low pressure drops within a column or during filtration.  This low pressure drop results in lower energy costs and quicker overall processing.