Catalyst Cost Calculation Tool

Our calculation tool helps to better understand the economic considerations associated with the use of precious metal catalysts.

You can fill in all parameters of this calculation, such as catalyst price, cost of refining, precious metal losses, precious metal recovery rates and interest on the working capital invested in the precious metals, individually.

Below you can find a model calculation and at the bottom of this page the calculation tool.

Annual catalyst demand	1,000 kg/a
Amount of precious metal contained therein:	50 kg/a
Customer´s precious metal stock: (30% of the amount of precious metal used annually)	15 kg/a
Precious metal losses: (assumed 3% in the customer’s process, 1% in refining)	2 kg/a
Catalyst price: (5% Palladium on activated carbon)	40 €/kg
Recovery price: (*per gramme precious metal) Palladium price:	0.50 €/g* 14 €/g
Interest rate (for investment in customer´s precious metal stock)	2% p.a.

Recovery costs include cost for:

Handling and analysis: € per lot
Homogenisation: € per kg net weight delivered
Refining: € per g precious metal credit

Actual recovery cost can vary depending on impurities in the spent catalyst and on the volume of spent catalyst received from the process.

Based on the example figures, the following calculation results:

1. Catalyst costs: 1,000 kg x 40 €/kg	40,000 €
2. Recovery costs: 50,000 g Pd x 0.97 x 0.99 x 0.50 €/g Pd	24,008 €
3. Precious metal losses/balance by additional purchase: 50,000 g x 0.04 x 14 €/g Pd	28,000 €
4. Interest: 15,000 g Pd x 0.02 x 14 €/g Pd	4,200 €
Total	96,208 €

The total (1–4) shows the annual operating costs for the use of 1,000 kg of an activated carbon catalyst with 5% Pd (based on the conditions and prices assumed).

This first rough calculation can be adjusted to specific customer requirements. Also, additional parameters can give more detailed information on:

Catalyst usage
Batch size
Filtration batch size.

Based on these variables we can support you to work out:

Optimised spent size
Optimum order quantity
Total leasing costs for a full cycle catalyst system.

Please contact your sales manager for more information.