Can I Get Money for Old Platinum Lab Equipment Like Crucibles?

Platinum ScrapRecycle Refine Platinum
Written By Guest User

Here's a question we get all the time: "Can I get money for old platinum lab equipment like crucibles?" The short answer? Absolutely. And probably more than you think.

We've been buying platinum labware for years, and we're always amazed at what ends up sitting forgotten in lab storage rooms. Those old crucibles, dishes, and electrodes that haven't been touched in months? They're sitting on a goldmine - well, a platinum mine.

Why Your Old Lab Equipment Is Worth Real Money

Most people don't realize that platinum lab equipment is made from 95-99% pure platinum. That's not some cheap alloy we're talking about - it's the real deal. When labs buy crucibles, they're buying premium materials because they need equipment that won't contaminate their samples or break down under extreme heat.

The beautiful thing about platinum is that it doesn't lose its value when it gets beat up. Scratched, stained, or even cracked - doesn't matter to us. We're melting it down anyway, so we're paying for the platinum content, not how pretty it looks.

What We're Looking For

Any platinum labware has value, but here's what we see most often:

Crucibles are the big one - they're heavy and usually high purity. Evaporating dishes, electrodes, tongs, spatulas, even those little boats used in analytical work. If it's marked "Pt" or "Plat," we want to talk to you.

Sometimes pieces are marked "10% Rh-Pt" - that's platinum with rhodium, which is actually worth more than straight platinum. Don't let the "10%" fool you; the rest is still platinum.

Not sure what you have? No problem. We can test it and tell you exactly what you're dealing with.

Here's How It Works

First, gather up everything you think might be platinum. Check storage rooms, old equipment cabinets, anywhere lab gear gets forgotten. You'd be surprised what turns up.

Weigh it if you can - platinum is heavy, much heavier than you'd expect. A small crucible that looks like it should weigh a few ounces might actually weigh half a pound or more.

Give us a call. We'll test everything to confirm what's platinum and what's not, then give you a quote on the spot. No waiting, no sending samples off somewhere - we handle everything right here.

What You Can Expect

Every refiner's different, but here's how we do business. We test your material, calculate the pure platinum content, and offer a fair percentage of the current market value. Most of our customers walk away happy because they had no idea their old equipment was worth so much.

The process is straightforward. We're not trying to confuse you with complicated calculations or hidden fees. You send in platinum, we tell you what it's worth, you decide if you want to sell.

Don't Get Ripped Off

Here's some free advice: stay away from pawn shops for this stuff. They might know gold and silver, but platinum lab equipment is specialized. Most pawn brokers will lowball you because they don't understand what they're looking at.

The Bottom Line

That old platinum lab equipment isn't doing you any good sitting in storage. Labs upgrade, equipment gets replaced, and perfectly good platinum ends up forgotten. Why not turn it into cash?

We've helped university labs, research facilities, and private companies turn their old equipment into funding for new projects. One chemistry department used their platinum refining money to buy new analytical equipment. Makes sense when you think about it.

Ready to Find Out What You Have?

If you're wondering whether your old lab equipment has value, there's only one way to find out. Send it in or give us a call. We'll take a look, run some tests, and give you straight answers about what you're sitting on.

Most people are pleasantly surprised. That box of "old junk" might be worth more than you think. And even if it's not platinum, we deal with other precious metals too - gold, silver, palladium. Lab equipment often contains valuable materials that regular scrap dealers miss.

Don't let valuable platinum sit around collecting dust when it could be working for you. Give Specialty Metals Smelters & Refiners a call and let's see what you've got.

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