- After the smelting process, the “dore bars” are then shipped to a refinery to finish taking the impurities out of the gold and raising the purity level from 90% to 99.95%. This is the acceptable purity level for gold on the open market.
- Much like smelting gold, refineries use pressure, heat, chemicals along with electricity to separate the other miners out. This is known as “electrochemical refining” which is why smelting plants are unable to do it.
- When gold dore is transferred to a refinery, it is sometimes the first time that the gold is sold from a corporation. This is also the first place gold goes when people recycle old jewelry because once melted back down, it can be resold to new manufacturers or wholesalers.
- Refining is a much more technical process than smelting and needs constant monitoring throughout the process. It takes an average of 30 minutes for every ounce of gold that is being refined.
- Done on a large scale through large corporations is an expensive process which needs highly skilled workers.
- Job creation is a major bonus on owning a refinery.
- The by products of refining gold add to the carbon emission foot print left behind by the gold process. Separating the gold takes large machinery and kennels that burn fossil fuels and the main by product of this step is carbon ash and carbon monoxide.