Returning your scrap to us for Rio Grande credit or a direct refund check* is as easy as can be and will really help your bottom line. See our frequently asked questions below.
*Please Note: Due to provisions in the Patriot Act, we cannot issue checks to parties unknown to us; all payees must have a Rio Grande account.
IMPORTANT! Pricing shown in this calculator should be considered to be a guide only; final pricing will be based on the most current metal markets at the time your order is filled.
We accept silver, silver-filled, gold, gold-filled, palladium, platinum and PMC® items.
We cannot accept gold-filled watchbands (due to the underlying substrate on these items), base metal, electroplating solutions, photographic processing materials or sweeps*. Please do not send plated non-precious metal jewelry; we cannot recover the precious metal from this type of jewelry. IMPORTANT: Human beings will be handling this material; it MUST be clean and free of all organic debris (waste) and hazardous material.
Please note that there is a distinct difference between sweeps and filings/swarf. Filings/swarf results from work processes such as drilling, sawing, filing, grinding, etc.) and are captured in trays, filters, tools, or on benchtops. Filings/swarf will be the same color as the metal it came from and is acceptable as scrap. Sweeps, on the other hand, are gathered (as the name implies) by sweeping up periodically around your bench and work area. Sweeps tend to be darker in color than the metal they came from as they are mixed with polishing compounds, abrasive cast-off, dirt and other non-metal debris. Sweeps may be sent to Rio Grande as a contribution to our Sweeps for CERF* efforts but are not acceptable as scrap.
*If you have sweep metal that you would like to donate to a good cause, please visit https://www.riogrande.com/ad/responsibility#CERF for information about Sweeps for CERF.
You will need to ship your scrap along with the scrap packing list. Fill out the form completely and accurately to ensure the most speedy transaction.
Note that the examples below are separated by metal type and clearly labeled; these will be quick and easy to process for a faster payout.
Note that the examples below show various metals jumbled together, non-metal materials, stones still in settings and other random items; these will take hours to process and significantly slow the payout.
Important: Domestic customers! To the best of our knowledge, USPS is the only carrier that will insure these packages (and only when they are sent Registered Mail). In order to protect your property, we suggest that you ship your package by USPS Registered Mail and insure it fully, regardless of its size. Keep the receipt until your transaction is complete. Whichever carrier you choose, however, please contact them for details about properly insuring your package.
Important: International customers! Declare your parcel as "scrap." Should your carrier ask for additional information, the chart below, showing U.S. import tariff numbers, may help. (In our experience, the U.S. Postal service does not charge fees for clearing parcels through customs.) Please be aware that Rio does not pay for or reimburse freight charges, duties, taxes or carrier processing fees; please pre-pay all charges.
| Scrap content | Tariff number |
| Gold (including metal clad with gold) | 7112.91.00 |
| Platinum | 7112.92.00 |
| Other (sterling, Argentium, fine silver, silver-filled) | 7112.99.00 |
Send the box to:
Attention: Returns
Rio Grande
7500 Bluewater Road NW
Albuquerque, NM 87121
3) After processing, you will receive a copy of your transaction by email (or USPS, if an email address was not provided) listing the type and weight of the scrap we received from you, the rate(s) at which it was paid and the total Rio credit or payment. Please note that Rio never charges fees for testing or handling your scrap.
IMPORTANT: Please review your invoice immediately. Any disputes regarding metal purity, weight or payment amount must be reported within 5 days from the date on the invoice.
Returning your scrap metals is an easy way to recycle your materials and recover costs. Please follow the guidelines above to make this process quick and easy and to maximize profitability for your business.
1. What types of metals can I send in?
We accept silver, silver-filled, gold, gold-filled, palladium, platinum and fired PMC® items.
We cannot accept gold-filled watchbands (due to the underlying substrate on these items), base metal, electroplating solutions, photographic processing materials or sweeps*. Please do not send plated non-precious metal jewelry; we cannot recover the precious metal from this type of jewelry. IMPORTANT: Human beings will be handling this material; it MUST be clean and free of all organic debris (waste) and hazardous material.
*If you have sweep metal that you would like to donate to a good cause, please visit https://www.riogrande.com/ad/responsibility#CERF for information about Sweeps for CERF.
2. Do I have to separate the metals?
Yes. Please put each metal type (silver/gold-filled/10K/14K/18K/platinum etc.) in a separate zipper-style bag. Note: Do not use tape or any other adhesive to seal the bag—scrap can get caught or stuck and may be overlooked.
3. Do you accept dental scrap? Yes, provided the metal is free from any organic debris or non-metal material.
4. Can you apply my refund to my credit card or checking account? Yes, we can transfer your refund into your checking account, post it as a credit to your Rio Account, or send you a refund check. Unfortunately we cannot apply credit to your credit card.
5. Can you send me a refund check? Yes, provided that the check is made out to someone known to us (i.e.: someone who has a Rio Grande customer number).
6. What is the percentage paid for refund and/or credit to account? See our Scrap calculator
7. Do you accept sweeps or filings/swarf?
We do accept silver filings and swarf. We do not accept sweeps for payment, but we are happy to forward these sweeps to CERF as a donation, if you wish. Learn more about our CERF program at https://www.riogrande.com/ad/responsibility#CERF.
8. How long will it take to process my scrap?
Processing time is typically 1–2 days after we receive your scrap. You will receive a confirmation email once your scrap has been processed.
9. How should I package my scrap?
Please package each metal type in a separate, sealable plastic bag so none of the scrap can fall out. Do not use tape or adhesive on the bag to seal it, as this may capture some of your scrap and cause it to be overlooked. When placing your scrap in a shipping box, make sure all the ends of the box are taped so that if some scrap does happen to spill out of the bags, it will not fall out of the box.
10. What address do I send it to?
Send your shipment to:
Attn: Returns
7500 Bluewater Road NW
Albuquerque, NM 87121
11. Why doesn’t the shipping weight match what you calculated during processing?
We weigh our metal in troy ounces. Standard postal scales weigh in avoirdupois ounces. We calibrate our scales monthly.
12. Can you take my scrap if I don’t have a Rio Grande account?
Yes, you may send in your scrap, and we will create an account for you upon receipt in order to send you a refund.
13. Can you split my scrap payment between credit and refund?
Each lot of scrap we receive must reflect a selection of just one of the options shown on your Scrap Packing List. It you want to split your scrap payment, you must send the scrap in separate lots, each with its own packing list, marked with the desired option for that particular lot. We cannot split the payout for individual lots of scrap.
14. There are gemstones in my scrap. What should I do?
Please remove any gemstones from your scrap that you wish to retain. Rio Grande does not buy gemstones and is unable to return any gemstones present in scrap to you.
15. Do you accept vermeil or heavily gold-plated sterling?
Yes, Rio Grande does accept vermeil (gold-plated silver) scrap. However, we only pay for the silver content of vermeil scrap. The amount of gold present is not economical to recover.
