2026: DONGSHENG’s Rapid Growth in the Precious Metals Recycling Sector
DONGSHENG specializes in industrial precious metals recycling, with its core business encompassing the processing of materials such as end-of-life automotive catalysts, printed circuit boards, electroplating industry by-products, and high-temperature alloy turbine blades for the aerospace industry. According to the “Global Precious Metals Recycling Market Outlook and Forecast” released in January 2026, the global precious metals recycling market was valued at approximately $156.8 million in 2025 and is projected to grow to $245.3 million by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1%. Meanwhile, prices for platinum group metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium remained high in 2026.
Precious Metal Content in Titanium Anodes
Titanium anodes are core consumables in the chlor-alkali and electroplating industries. The titanium substrate of these anodes holds significant value for titanium recovery, while their surface coatings contain platinum group metals such as ruthenium, iridium, and platinum. According to actual industrial data, the average ruthenium content remaining on spent titanium anodes ranges from 1.5 to 4.5 grams per square meter. For large-scale chlor-alkali plants, the stockpile of spent titanium anodes is substantial, and the recovery of the precious metals they contain can directly generate significant revenue. Advanced titanium recycling processes can strip more than 99% of the precious metals from the coating while keeping titanium substrate loss below 0.5%. After the coating is stripped, the titanium anodes can be refurbished and reused.
What Types of Precious Metal Waste Exist in the Industrial Sector?
There are numerous types of industrial precious metal waste. Automotive exhaust catalysts contain platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which are used to convert carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides; spent catalysts in the petrochemical and fine chemical industries are also rich in platinum group metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium; electronic waste from the electronics industry, including printed circuit boards, connectors, gold-plated scrap, ceramic capacitors, and hard disk drives, contains gold, silver, palladium, and platinum; High-temperature alloy turbine blades in the aerospace sector contain platinum, rhodium, and iridium; platinum-rhodium alloy crucibles are used in glass fiber manufacturing; platinum-rhodium catalytic screens are used in nitric acid production; the medical industry contains precious metal components such as pacemaker electrodes and dental alloys; PEM electrolysers used for hydrogen production via water electrolysis contain iridium and platinum-coated electrodes.
