When they refine your lot (reason why you have to have X amount) when they get it to the base metals they will test it to see what is or what is not there (assay) and they will pay you per that assay.

Yes they can send you the metals back if you request it...but it wont be THAT metal..they will take the metal from a pile that was all ready done and send it to you as YOUR metal. So the metal you get is NOT from the items you sent.

Now...when you deal with a refiner they should pay you just under spot price of the metal..if not..don't deal with them.



they will take out anywhere from 10% to 2% based on the amount you send them, how often you send them and what kind of metals you are sending them. Knowing someone inside the office can be a big help as well on the % of metal you are paid for.

Some refiners charge a weight ticket amount along with a low metal %...meaning this...they will charge you $0.70cents pound $10 for assay and only 1.5 or 2% of metal worth and not take the 10% metal worth...each refiner has there own way of doing it and this can also very wildly based on the metal being refined as well.