Some people believe they need metal detectors to find precious metals. Other people use drones. And still others think they need precious metal testing kits.

Those people are right. But today, we would like to remind you of another very basic fact that can help you find more precious metals . . .

In today’s post, we’re going to tell you some insider’s secrets on how to extract more gold from old, used gold plating tanks. But because we know your time is valuable, we’re going to start out by telling you one of the most important things first . . .

Don’t Overlook Gold-Plated Items

When most of us go looking for gold items to recycle, we look first for solid gold items, and with good reason. Even very small items made of karat gold can contain enough gold to make them worth a lot more than they appear – small items like stud earrings, tuxedo studs, lapel pins, tie tacks, and religious and commemorative medals.

“I just got a beautiful piece of silver-plated jewelry,” says a man in New York. “Is there any chance that the silver is plated over gold?”

That’s a logical question

What is the difference between an item that is gold filled and one that is gold plated?

That question confuses many people. But after you read today’s post, you will know the difference and be a smarter gold investor. Please read on.

...When You Recycle These Gold-Plated Items

While you’re poking around at the antiques mall you notice a pair of gold-plated earrings sitting in a tray. You could snag them for less than $10.00, but why bother? They are going to contain only maybe 50 cents worth of gold at best. So you walk on by and keep looking for more interesting items.

If you’ve ever walked around an old industrial site hunting for precious metal scrap, you know that the search can be overwhelming. You examine heaps of dirt, piles of chemicals hiding in the bushes, old steel drums that contain dried or wet sediment, streams where chemicals and byproducts were once deposited, and all kinds of other places that could be hiding precious metal scrap. Although you cannot identify most precious metal scrap just by looking at it, here’s a quick visual guide to some of the materials that can often be refined profitably in our precious metals refinery.

...Presto! Gold plating has happened. It’s a simple process that has been used for years to apply gold plating to jewelry and other metal items. But today’s post is not about recycling those items. It’s about reclaiming gold from the tanks where the process took place. Let’s take a closer look...