Umicore is one of the largest recyclers and refiners of ruthenium, operating from its Precious Metals Refining (PMR) site in Hoboken, Belgium. Here, Umicore recovers ruthenium from a wide range of sources, with major return streams including spent catalysts, used electronics, and industrial by-products. After a combination of pyrometallurgy (high temperature smelting) and hydrometallurgy (wet chemical processing) steps the ruthenium is recovered and refined into a pure metal powder. This closed‑loop capability strengthens supply resilience and helps keep critical materials circulating within the value chain.
Precious metals