Hydrogen Electrolyzer & Fuel Cell Manufacturing worked example

Platinum Recovery Value at 99% refiner recovery yield: a worked example

What does the result look like when refiner recovery yield reaches 99%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when a procurement lead or sustainability manager is sizing the credit from sending CCM scrap and end-of-life stacks to a precious-metal refiner, before signing or renewing the toll-refining contract.

The inputs for this scenario

  • PGM grams in the scrap pool: 40 g of PGM (unchanged)
  • Refiner pay-out per gram of metal: 30 $ / g (unchanged)
  • Refiner recovery yield: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 96)
  • Fixed assay, container, and freight cost: 350 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Variable platinum recovery value = grams of PGM × refiner pay-out per gram × refiner recovery yield) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,538 $ for net platinum recovery value, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 38.45 $ / piece for recovery value per gram of metal.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,188 $ for variable platinum recovery value.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 350 $ for fixed assay, container, and freight cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where refiner recovery yield sits at 96% and the headline result is 1,502 $, this scenario comes in 2.4% above the baseline at 1,538 $.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when refiner recovery yield is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. The fixed cost is added per your accounting sign convention; if you treat assay and freight as a deduction you must enter it as a negative, or the net will overstate true recovery.

Results at a glance

  • Net platinum recovery value: 1,538 $ (headline result)
  • Recovery value per gram of metal: 38.45 $ / piece
  • Variable platinum recovery value: 1,188 $
  • Fixed assay, container, and freight cost: 350 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Platinum Recovery Value calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.