For over a decade, businesses in the jewellery industry have promoted recycling gold methods for more sustainable production. Now, more than ever, gold is being recycled and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what they are purchasing. But what is recycled gold exactly? And how is gold recycled? We cover all in our guide.
What is recycled gold and where does it come from?
Recycled gold is made from refined precious metals. Typically, they will come from consumer products, waste products, unused metal and other items that are made from gold. These are then sold to be melted down once they’re no longer in use. Recycling gold and precious metals is a more cost-effective way to make the alloys more affordable – particularly when it comes to jewellery making.
Gold recycling methods: turning it into jewellery
So how is gold recycled? The gold recycling methods themselves are pretty straightforward – the metal is melted down and refined until it reaches its purest form. To make jewellery from recycled gold, you must look out for impurities within the alloy, which are then melted off during the smelting process. The gold can also be separated from any other alloys that it may have been mixed with, which will help you identify the true karat value of the gold. The gold is then turned into the jewellery item desired, i.e., a ring or bullion.
The benefits of recycled gold
There are many benefits of recycling gold, but here are just a few to mention:
- It is less impactful on the environment. Gold mining requires new sources of gold that are naturally formed but, as the years pass, these sources are depleting and the environment is being destroyed on the hunt for new gold. However, by recycling existing products, the need to source new gold is reduced.
- There are some untrustworthy retailers that get their gold from unethical sources, while recycled gold is produced from existing materials and products – therefore, there’s the peace of mind that no extra harm is being imposed upon the environment.
- Recycled gold can be melted down and recycled over and over again and it will never lose its value or purity.
Is recycled gold more ethical and sustainable?
Typically, recycled gold is seen as much more ethical and sustainable than regular gold. It can be recycled without losing its quality, so it can be reused multiple times which is a much more sustainable solution than mining for new alloys. Plus, the majority of gold has already been mined and there are only a few mining regions left. Gold mining can lead to harmful effects, like water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but the beauty is that we can get away without mining for new materials – thanks to recycled gold.
Buy recycled gold from Cooksongold
Are you interested in buying recycled gold for your jewellery making projects? At Cooksongold, all of our gold products are made from 100% recycled alloys – from bullion to wedding ring blanks. Browse the collections online and order your recycled gold products today.
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