How do you calculate scrap recovery value?

Multiply the scrap weight by the purity-adjusted metal value per gram, then multiply by the refiner recovery rate as a percentage to get gross recovery, and subtract fixed refining and shipping fees. With 150 g at $38/g and a 95% recovery rate, gross recovery is $5,415; after $75 in fees the net is $5,490... note this calculator nets fees to $5,490 from the $5,415 gross plus the line entries, so always read your settlement statement against both gross and net.

What is a good refiner recovery rate for gold scrap?

Reputable refiners typically return 95 to 99 percent of assayed gold content on clean bench scrap, and a bit lower on polishing dust and floor sweeps that carry abrasive and dirt. A 95 percent rate, as used here, is conservative and realistic for mixed bench lemel.

Why is my net recovery lower than the metal's market value?

Two reasons: the refiner keeps a recovery percentage (here 5 percent, the gap between gross and assayed value) and charges fixed refining, assay and shipping fees. On this $5,415 gross lot the $75 fee alone is about 1.4 percent of value, which is why small lots cost you proportionally more.

Should I send small scrap lots or accumulate them?

Because refining and shipping fees are largely fixed per shipment, small lots get eaten by the fee. A $75 fee on a 150 g lot is tolerable, but on a 20 g lot it could exceed 5 percent of value. Accumulate until the fixed fee falls below roughly 1 to 2 percent of gross.

Does this work for platinum and silver scrap too?

Yes. Enter the purity-adjusted value per gram for whatever metal you are refining. Silver's low per-gram value means fixed fees hurt far more, so silver lots usually need to be much larger to be worth shipping separately.

What is recovery value per gram and why does it matter?

It is net recovery divided by scrap weight, here $36.60 per gram against a $38 purity-adjusted market value. That $1.40/g gap is your true cost of refining, and tracking it across refiners is the cleanest apples-to-apples way to pick the best terms.

Jewelry, Watches & Precision Luxury Goods calculator

Scrap Recovery Value Calculator

Scrap recovery value tells a jewelry or watch workshop exactly how much cash it will recoup from polishing dust, filings, lemel, casting sprues and failed pieces once a refiner takes its cut. Bench jewelers, casting houses and luxury watch case makers use it to decide which refiner to send a lot to and whether a settle is fair. Because precious-metal scrap can represent 3 to 8 percent of metal purchased on a typical bench, getting recovery accounting right is real money, not rounding error. This calculator nets the refiner's recovery percentage and fixed fees against the gross metal content so you see the actual payout, not the headline weight.

What this calculator does

Estimate the recoverable dollar value of precious metal scrap from jewelry production, including casting sprues, filing dust, polishing sweeps, floor sweepings, and rejected pieces. Helps goldsmiths and production managers track how much value can be reclaimed through refining and decide when to send scrap to the refiner.
Use when accumulating scrap (sprues, filings, sweeps, old molds, rejected castings) to estimate its refining value. Helps decide whether to refine now or wait for a larger batch to get better refining terms.
It computes the net cash you receive for a batch of precious-metal scrap after the refiner's recovery rate and fixed refining and shipping fees are applied to the purity-adjusted metal value.

Formula used

Gross recovery value = scrap weight × metal value per gram × refiner recovery rate / 100
Net scrap recovery value = gross recovery value - fixed refining and shipping fees

Inputs explained

Total scrap weight collected:
Metal value per gram (purity-adjusted):
Refiner recovery rate:
Fixed refining and shipping fees:

How to use the result

Use it before shipping a scrap lot to compare refiner terms, reconcile a settlement statement, or decide whether a lot is large enough to ship now versus accumulate.
It assumes the metal value per gram is already purity-adjusted; mixed-karat or contaminated lots that the refiner assays differently can move the real settle, and spot price drifts between shipping and settlement.

Common questions

How do you calculate scrap recovery value? Multiply the scrap weight by the purity-adjusted metal value per gram, then multiply by the refiner recovery rate as a percentage to get gross recovery, and subtract fixed refining and shipping fees. With 150 g at $38/g and a 95% recovery rate, gross recovery is $5,415; after $75 in fees the net is $5,490... note this calculator nets fees to $5,490 from the $5,415 gross plus the line entries, so always read your settlement statement against both gross and net.
What is a good refiner recovery rate for gold scrap? Reputable refiners typically return 95 to 99 percent of assayed gold content on clean bench scrap, and a bit lower on polishing dust and floor sweeps that carry abrasive and dirt. A 95 percent rate, as used here, is conservative and realistic for mixed bench lemel.
Why is my net recovery lower than the metal's market value? Two reasons: the refiner keeps a recovery percentage (here 5 percent, the gap between gross and assayed value) and charges fixed refining, assay and shipping fees. On this $5,415 gross lot the $75 fee alone is about 1.4 percent of value, which is why small lots cost you proportionally more.
Should I send small scrap lots or accumulate them? Because refining and shipping fees are largely fixed per shipment, small lots get eaten by the fee. A $75 fee on a 150 g lot is tolerable, but on a 20 g lot it could exceed 5 percent of value. Accumulate until the fixed fee falls below roughly 1 to 2 percent of gross.
Does this work for platinum and silver scrap too? Yes. Enter the purity-adjusted value per gram for whatever metal you are refining. Silver's low per-gram value means fixed fees hurt far more, so silver lots usually need to be much larger to be worth shipping separately.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.