GoldPaq

Depending on how you define “recycling,” re-using, modifying, and trading gold has been with us for thousands of years. Even today, gold is a precious metal that has enormous economic significance and power. It’s still in demand, and recycling gold can be beneficial to the environment while generating some extra cash.

But just what is gold recycling, and how do people go about it? Here are 10 facts about gold recycling you might not have been aware of.

Fact #1: Gold teeth can be worth from $5 to $20.

Even the little bits of gold that dentists leave in your mouth have some surprising value. Gold caps, crowns, and gold teeth are some of the most valuable “small” items you’ll be able to find. Many people find out that sending in dental scrap gold that they no longer have a use for is a nice way to get some quick cash. Some recognize the gold’s value but choose to save it instead. Either way, those small specks of gold you don’t give a second thought to still have a great deal value to a lot of people.

Fact #2: You can find gold and other precious metals in the garbage.
You wouldn’t believe what people throw away these days. When it comes to garbage, many people throw out old computers, cell phones, and music players. Since these electronics become obsolete fast, people ignore them and forget about the precious metals they contain. Some people go “urban mining,” searching for these electronics in garbages and recycling bins, in order to extract these precious metals and recycle them.

Fact #3: Using an online gold broker can be the safest choice for recycling gold.
A lot of people know that it’s best to avoid pawn shops, especially when it comes to scrap gold. Pawn shops provide notoriously inaccurate appraisals and have less use for the scrap gold than do precious metal brokers. Online gold brokers can insure the gold you send them and give you free appraisals. If you like their appraisal, they can offer you a quick check and simply keep the gold you have provided them for appraisal - if you’re satisified with their offer.

Fact #4: Gold and other precious metals can be found in common household electronics.
As mentioned before, “urban mining” is built around finding the precious metals in computers. But household electronics like television sets also contain precious metals. Before throwing out an old, obsolete television set, be sure to see if there’s something you can get for the precious metals it contains.

Fact #5: It’s possible to extract more gold per ton from discarded cellular phones than from ore.
You might wonder why people would be willing to dig through garbage just to find a few scraps of gold, right? Well, the process can actually be quite profitable - all the more reason to keep your garbage to yourself, at least until you’ve gotten the gold out of your electronics.

Fact #6: There are plenty of options available for broken jewelry.
Broken jewelry can be extremely versatile! If you’re not going to repair broken jewelry, it’s entirely possible to still get plenty of use and value from it. For example, you can have the scrap gold or silver appraised and sel it for money. You can also refit your precious stones to other types of jewelry. Some people even take the broken jewelry apart and use it for decorative purposes.

Fact #7: About 1/3 of annual gold usage is from recycled gold.
Still not convinced that gold recycling is an easy, common thing to do? What, the “urban mining” stories didn’t convince you? 1/3 of annual gold usage comes from recycled gold. Gold is a valuable enough resource that people are willing to appraise, trade, and recycle it for its continued use. You should take advantage of that fact.

Fact #8: Gold mining can be harmful to the environment.
Gold mining can be an expensive and exhaustive process. But it can also do damage to the environment. As with all recycling, re-using materials only works to everyone’s benefit; just as you would recycle paper and plastic, gold can be refined for re-use.

Fact #9: Gold and other precious metals are actually relatively common household items.
In the United States, it’s not unusual for jewelry boxes, electronics, and other sources of gold to be all over the house. If you don’t think you have enough gold to recycle, you might actually surprise yourself. Even trace amounts of gold hold some potential value; remember how gold in amounts as small as a tooth can actually add up to some real cash.

Fact #10: Gold recycling can be easy.
When you send your gold to a gold broker, they will often much of the work for you: appraisal, purchase, and actual recycling. What can be easier? Many people are frequent recyclers of other items like paper, cardboard, and aluminum. If you have what it takes to take a few bags to the recycling center, you have what it takes to recycle gold.

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