Technical Evaluation Before Recovery Planning
AG Precious Metals Group supports the technical review of catalyst-bearing materials through sampling logic, assay coordination, and material consistency checks before recovery or commercial settlement decisions are made.
Sampling and assay are used when material value cannot be judged by appearance alone.
Prepared catalyst materials, powders, pellets, granules, fines, and mixed streams often require a technical route before a recovery plan or commercial decision can be made.
A poor sample can create a poor decision.
The purpose of sampling is to reduce uncertainty. A sample should reflect the material batch as accurately as possible, especially when the material is crushed, mixed, processed, dusty, or inconsistent.
Whole converters are not evaluated the same way as crushed catalyst or powder.
Industrial pellets and refinery granules need batch and source context.
Mixed residues and fines may need additional review before assay direction is clear.
Assay results only become useful when the sample properly represents the material stream.
Crushed Catalyst
Bulk catalyst material that usually needs representative sampling before assay or settlement review.
Catalyst Powder
Powdered catalyst material where moisture, particle size, and batch mixing can affect review quality.
Pellets & Beads
Spent industrial catalyst media requiring source, batch, and consistency review before evaluation.
Granules & Bed Material
Petrochemical or refinery-related catalyst materials where documentation and controlled stream review matter.
Process Fines
Dust-like fractions, secondary residues, or fines from processing, filtration, cleaning, or handling.
Mixed or Unknown Material
Unclassified catalyst-bearing streams that need initial review before sampling or assay direction is chosen.
A technical path from material review to recovery direction.
Sampling and assay should support a decision. The workflow starts with the material itself, then moves into sampling logic, assay coordination, result interpretation, and the next commercial route.
Material review
We review material type, source, physical form, quantity, packaging, photos, and any available documentation.
Sampling logic
The sampling approach depends on whether the material is crushed, powdered, pelletized, granulated, mixed, or inconsistent.
Assay coordination
When assay is required, the material route is coordinated around representative sample preparation and technical review.
Result interpretation
Assay data is reviewed in relation to material source, batch condition, and the selected recovery route.
Commercial next step
The result supports quotation, recovery planning, settlement discussion, or further technical clarification.
What affects the reliability of a catalyst sample?
The quality of sampling is affected by the physical condition of the material. Before assay, AG reviews whether the sample can reasonably represent the larger batch.
Batch consistency
Mixed batches, uneven lots, or different material sources can reduce confidence in a single sample.
Particle size
Powder, fines, crushed catalyst, pellets, and granules behave differently during sampling and preparation.
Moisture and contamination
Wet material, dirt, foreign material, or packaging contamination can affect technical review.
Material separation
Automotive, industrial, and refinery-related materials should not be mixed without clear identification.
Packaging condition
Bags, drums, boxes, pallets, and bulk loads should be described clearly before shipment or sample review.
Documentation
Prior assay reports, batch notes, labels, source documents, and photos can improve the evaluation route.
Information needed before technical review starts.
Clear information helps the team decide whether the material needs sampling, assay, direct quotation review, or a different route.
Sampling starts with context, not only material.
A sample without source details can be difficult to interpret. Before review, AG needs to understand the material origin, physical form, quantity, condition, packaging, and whether the stream is separated or mixed.
If the material is unknown, photos and basic descriptions are often enough to start the first classification step.
Material type
Crushed catalyst, powder, pellets, granules, fines, residues, honeycomb, or mixed stream.
Quantity and packaging
Approximate weight, number of bags, drums, boxes, pallets, or bulk load details.
Source and condition
Automotive, industrial, petrochemical, refinery-related, trading, or unknown origin.
Photos and documents
Clear photos, labels, batch notes, prior assay reports, and available technical records.
Sampling and assay connect material classification with recovery planning.
This page sits between “what material do you have?” and “what is the correct recovery or commercial route?”
Need sampling or assay direction for catalyst material?
Send material type, source, quantity, photos, packaging details, and available documents. AG will review the material and guide the correct technical next step.