--- title: "Selling Iridium Scrap: A Guide for This Rare Precious Metal" source: "https://goldealers.co.uk/knowledge/platinum-palladium/selling-iridium-scrap" date: "2025-12-02" --- # Selling Iridium Scrap: A Guide for This Rare Precious Metal Iridium is another member of the platinum group metals and is famed for being one of the densest and most refractory (high-melting) elements. It's not every day that someone comes across a lump of iridium or iridium-containing scrap, but if you do, you're potentially holding something quite valuable. This guide covers what iridium is used for, what forms it might be found in, and how to approach selling iridium in the UK. > **Quick Summary:** Iridium is one of the most valuable metals (around £110 per gram), but it's extremely rare in everyday life. Most iridium is found in industrial crucibles, electrical contacts, or as an alloying element in platinum. Finding the right specialist buyer is essential. ## What Is Iridium and Where Is It Found? Iridium is a very rare metal, even among PGMs. It has a silvery colour and is extremely resistant to corrosion and heat. In fact, iridium's melting point is around 2,446°C – one of the highest of any metal. ### Key Properties - **Extremely dense** – one of the densest elements - **Very high melting point** – 2,446°C - **Highly corrosion resistant** - **Hard and brittle** – cannot be formed into jewellery on its own - **Silvery-white appearance** These properties make it ideal for certain specialised uses where you need a material that can withstand extreme conditions. ## Common Forms of Iridium ### Industrial Crucibles & Equipment Iridium (often in alloy with platinum) is used to make crucibles and containers for ultra-high-temperature processes. For example: - Some crystals for electronics are grown in iridium crucibles - Heavy metallic dishes used in specialized manufacturing - Items that haven't oxidised after repeated heating to extreme temperatures > If you encounter a crucible or dish that is heavy, metallic, and hasn't oxidised after repeated heating, it could be made of iridium or a platinum-iridium alloy. These can be extremely valuable – a 30-gram iridium crucible could be worth over £3,000. ### Electrical Contacts Iridium's hardness and wear-resistance make it useful for electrical contacts that must withstand arcing or sparking: - Heavy-duty contacts in distribution systems - Scientific instruments - Specialized electrical equipment ### Spark Plugs Many modern spark plugs are advertised as "iridium spark plugs." These have a tiny iridium tip on the electrode to prolong plug life: - Contains only fractions of a gram per plug - Not worth extracting for individuals - Bulk recyclers can recover the metal from large quantities ### Jewellery and Watches Iridium itself is generally too hard and brittle to form jewellery, but it has been used in alloys: - **Platinum alloys:** Some platinum jewellery contains 10% iridium (e.g., "90% Pt, 10% Ir") to increase hardness - **Pen nibs:** Historically, some high-end pen nibs were "iridium tipped" (though often a mix of PGMs) - **Watch bearings:** Niche applications in vintage watch mechanisms - **The standard metre bar:** The 19th-century standard was a platinum-iridium alloy > Pure iridium jewellery is virtually nonexistent due to its brittleness. If you have a platinum item that contains iridium, it will be sold primarily for its platinum content with some additional value from the iridium. ## Is Iridium Valuable? Yes – iridium is quite valuable, often trading at prices comparable to or higher than gold: **Current Market Value (Late 2025):** - Approximately **£110 per gram** - Over **£3,000 per troy ounce** - This puts it in the same league as rhodium and well above platinum However, because it's so rare and used in specialised markets, selling iridium is not as straightforward as selling gold. The market is smaller and more opaque. > One refiner notes that there's "no more profitable precious metal to recycle than Iridium." But you will need to go through the right channels to realise that value. Learn more about other valuable platinum group metals in our guides on [platinum](/knowledge/platinum-palladium/selling-platinum-scrap) and [rhodium](/knowledge/platinum-palladium/selling-rhodium-and-rhodium-plated-items). ## How to Sell Iridium Scrap ### 1. Identify and Assay If you believe you have iridium, the first step is to confirm it. Given how uncommon it is, you'll want a proper assay or XRF test. **Look for Markings:** - Many platinum/iridium items will be stamped with "Iridium" or an alloy designation - A crucible might be stamped with the material composition - If it's an alloy (like 90%Pt 10%Ir), it may just be marked as platinum since that's the majority metal **Professional Testing:** An XRF machine can usually detect iridium content in an alloy. You can approach: - A precious metals assay office - A specialist refinery - Some high-end jewellery or bullion buyers with appropriate testing equipment See our guide on [testing platinum and palladium](/knowledge/testing/testing-platinum-palladium) for more information on testing methods. ### 2. Find the Right Buyer Regular jewellery buyers or pawn shops are unlikely to buy iridium, simply because they have no standard pricing or demand for it. **Where to Sell:** **Precious Metal Refiners:** Many refiners that handle platinum or palladium can also handle iridium. They may advertise PGM refining. **Industrial Metal Buyers:** Companies that buy scrap thermocouples, lab equipment, or catalysts might also take iridium-containing material. **Networking:** If you contact a known platinum buyer and you have iridium, ask if they handle it or know who does. Sometimes they partner with larger refineries for these less common metals. > When you do find a buyer, they will likely treat it similar to platinum/palladium refining – meaning they will assay the material and offer you a percentage of the metal value (perhaps 80–95%, depending on form and quantity). ### 3. Shipping and Handling **Secure Transport:** - Iridium is very dense – a little piece can be quite heavy - Always package it securely and use insured shipment - Given its high melting point, iridium scrap is often shipped as is (no need to melt into a bar) **Documentation:** Document what the item is (e.g., "Iridium crucible, approx 50g") in your correspondence. Keep in mind that if you're sending something like a platinum-iridium alloy, you should clarify that with the buyer so they know it's not pure iridium. See our guide on [packaging precious metals for posting](/knowledge/postal/how-to-package-gold-silver-posting). ### 4. Compliance Ensure you're following any applicable laws: - Iridium isn't a controlled substance - If the material came from a company or lab, make sure you have the rights to sell it - Recyclers might ask you to sign a statement that the scrap is yours to sell – a standard anti-theft precaution ## Practical Example – Selling an Iridium Crucible **Scenario:** You inherited some laboratory equipment, and one item is a small heavy crucible. It's stamped with a code, and after research you suspect it's iridium. **Weight:** 30 grams **Market Value:** - At £110/gram market = £3,300 worth of metal - A refiner might offer 90% of spot value after assay = **roughly £3,000** This is a substantial sum for something that might have been thrown away! The process would be: 1. Send it to the refiner (insured) 2. They test it, confirm it's 99% Ir 3. Pay you according to the agreed formula This beats it sitting on a shelf collecting dust! ## Tips and Reminders ### Don't Clean with Abrasives If you have iridium alloy items, avoid aggressive cleaning or filing which could remove some material. Unlike silver or gold, these items usually don't need shining up for sale – sell them in as-is condition to preserve weight. ### Alloys vs Pure If it's an alloy (like 10% Ir in platinum), you can still sell it, but the value will be mostly from the other metal plus a little from iridium. Be clear on what you have: - A "platinum 10% iridium" medical device should be sold as platinum scrap with some iridium content (the refiner will account for the Ir) - A pure iridium piece is different and commands the full iridium price ### Documentation If you have any original documentation (like a material certificate or even an old invoice) for the item, this can be very helpful for the buyer and for your peace of mind when negotiating. ### Market Insight Iridium prices, like those of other PGMs, can swing: - Influenced by supply (mostly as byproduct of platinum mining) - Demand from electronics and chemicals sectors - Because the trading market is small, prices can be stagnant then jump - While timing small quantities isn't usually critical, if you have a large amount, it's worth being aware of price trends ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: How do I know if I have iridium or platinum?** A: Iridium is even denser and harder than platinum, with a higher melting point. Most items will be marked or stamped. If unmarked, professional XRF testing or chemical assay is required. Iridium is also more brittle – it cannot be formed into jewellery on its own. **Q: Where can I sell iridium scrap in the UK?** A: Contact specialised precious metal refiners or PGM buyers who handle industrial platinum. They have the expertise and equipment to analyse iridium properly. Regular jewellers and pawn shops typically don't handle iridium. **Q: What percentage of the metal value will I receive?** A: Reputable refiners typically pay 80-95% of the iridium content's market value, depending on the form, quantity, and purity. Higher quantities and purer samples generally command better percentages. **Q: Is iridium more valuable than gold?** A: Yes, currently iridium is worth approximately 3-4 times more than gold per gram (around £110/g for iridium vs £30-40/g for gold). However, it's much rarer and harder to sell due to a smaller market. **Q: Can I sell iridium spark plugs?** A: Individual spark plugs contain only fractions of a gram of iridium – not worth extracting for individuals. Only bulk recyclers processing thousands of plugs can economically recover the iridium. Focus on larger items like crucibles or industrial equipment. ## Next Steps Selling iridium is all about finding the right channel. The average person or jeweller won't know what to do with it, but specialised refiners certainly will. Don't be discouraged if the first few places you ask seem confused – iridium is an exotic metal to most. But to the right buyer, your iridium scrap could be literally one of the most valuable things, per gram, that they purchase. Handle it carefully, do your homework on buyers, and you can realise the significant value locked in this rare metal. **Useful Resources:** - [Selling Platinum Scrap: Value and How to Sell](/knowledge/platinum-palladium/selling-platinum-scrap) - [Platinum Thermocouple Wire: How to Sell This Valuable Alloy](/knowledge/platinum-palladium/platinum-thermocouple-wire) - [Selling Rhodium and Rhodium-Plated Items](/knowledge/platinum-palladium/selling-rhodium-and-rhodium-plated-items) - [How Platinum and Palladium Are Tested](/knowledge/testing/testing-platinum-palladium) --- *Published by Goldealers Ltd · https://goldealers.co.uk/knowledge/platinum-palladium/selling-iridium-scrap*