DOWA Metals & Mining America Inc. (DMMA) has been a major recycler of catalytic converters since 2016. We purchase a wide range of materials, including gasoline and diesel catalytic converters with ceramic or metallic (foil) substrates, diesel particulate filters (DPF) with cordierite or silicon carbide (SiC) substrates, industrial catalysts and residues. These materials contain valuable platinum group metals (PGM), such as platinum, palladium and rhodium, that are essential for emissions control and numerous industrial applications. Efficient and responsible recovery is at the core of our mission, reflecting DOWA Group’s philosophy: A Recycling-Oriented World.
Our smelting process
Since its foundation in 1884 as a mine and smelting plant for black ore, DOWA has been rooted in a history of innovation and adaptability. Black ore is uniquely complex, containing a wide variety of valuable metals tightly bound together. While rich in potential, these metals are difficult to separate and can even become harmful if not processed correctly.
Recognizing this challenge early on, DOWA devoted itself to developing advanced extraction and smelting technologies. Through decades of research, operational experience and refinement, DOWA has built a deep expertise in handling complex ores and recycling-oriented materials. This accumulated knowledge ultimately led to our unique PGM smelting technology, known as the ROSE process, named after dissolved rhodium. Today, the ROSE process is a core element of DOWA’s PGM recycling business and plays a key role in ensuring its high efficiency.
DOWA also promotes the circular economy while emphasizing environmental responsibility. After the ROSE process, PGM alloy ingots are delivered to our refining partner and subsequently returned to the market to complete the recycling circle. Not only is the smelter operated with 100 percent-recycling-oriented materials, the process itself also is environmentally friendly. The only unrecyclable material leaving the ROSE process is minimized slag that is treated carefully by our group company.
Our sampling processes
Obtaining precise and reliable assay results requires proper sampling, including sample preparation. PGM content can vary depending on each converter code and the year manufactured. Therefore, a transparent sampling process is essential to ensure fairness and confidence in final settlement values. We partner with NPGM USA Inc. in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, to provide trustworthy sampling and XRF (X-ray fluorescence) assays of delivered materials. NPGM USA, which became operational in August 2024, expanding on and replacing previous sampling capabilities, houses three independent sampling lines that provide a total processing capacity of 1 million pounds of recycled material per month. Materials can be delivered whole can, de-canned, milled or un-milled. Through different levels of pre-treatment, foreign objects such as insulation or metal shells are removed from the materials so they can be effectively and thoroughly milled. All material goes through a mixer to be fully homogenized before going through dividers. NPGM USA’s sampling line is designed to eliminate operators’ human error…