Top 6 Precious Metal Reclamation Services for PVD & Sputtering Consumable

If you’ve ever sent your PVD or sputtering consumables off for reclamation and felt like you were left in the dark, you’re not alone. Many manufacturers in industries like semiconductors, photonics, aerospace, and medical devices share the same frustrations: unclear yield reports, slow payments, and one-size-fits-all processes that weren’t designed for the unique nature of PVD consumables.

On industry forums and in peer conversations, professionals often vent about juggling multiple vendors for cleaning, shipping, assay, and refining—losing both time and value along the way. Too often, generic recyclers treat these high-value materials like ordinary scrap, resulting in wasted precious metals and missed ROI opportunities.

That’s why specialized, consumable-focused reclamation services stand out. Companies like VEM have built integrated workflows—cleaning, assay, reclaim, and even rebonding—that streamline the entire process from start to finish. In this guide, we’ll break down the top six providers, how they compare, and what to look for in a partner that can help you maximize your recovery while simplifying your operations.

Table of Contents

1. Quick Comparison: Top 6 Providers

2. Why Reclaiming PVD & Sputtering Consumables Matters

3. Detailed Provider Profiles

• 1 VEM (Top Provider)

• 2 Materion

• 3 Kurt J. Lesker Company

• 4 Globe Metal®

• 5 EvoChem

• 6 Specialty Metals Smelters & Refiners

4. Frequently Asked Questions

1. Quick Comparison: Top 6 Providers

2. Why Reclaiming PVD & Sputtering Consumables Matters

PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) and sputtering are widely used in semiconductors, photonics, aerospace, and medical device manufacturing. Here’s how they benefit from reclaim workflows:

Semiconductor Foundries & Memory Manufacturers: High-volume fabs at the leading edge (e.g., 300 mm wafer production) routinely use sputtering targets in deposition chambers for barrier and seed layers. Targets made of Ta, TaN, TiN, or precious metal alloys are replaced frequently, leaving 65-90% unused residue. Reclaiming these targets reduces wafer-level material costs, supports Fab ESG goals, and ensures compliance with hazardous-waste regulations.

Photonic & Specialty Optics OEMs: Companies producing lasers, waveguides, or optical coatings often sputter Pt, Ru, Ag, or Au films onto substrates. They run low-volume custom batches where even small residue yields significant cost recoveries. Streamlined reclaim workflows allow fast turnaround between coating cycles, reduce scrap buildup, and enable more predictable material budgeting.

Aerospace & Defense Coatings Suppliers: Providers applying high-conductivity or wear-resistant precious metal coatings to aerospace components (e.g., satellite contact pads, avionics connectors) work with Ru- or Rh-enhanced sputtering materials. Their reclaim afterward restores value and supports traceability for NADCAP audits and export-control records.

Medical Device Manufacturers & Coating Houses: Firms depositing Pt or Au layers onto stents, surgical instruments, or implant components benefit from high purity recovery and analytic clarity. Precise assay reporting and clean-chemical reclaim diminish cross-contamination risk and reinforce biocompatibility certification standards.

Why tailored reclaim matters: Consumables such as sputtering targets (often comprising precious metals like gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium), backing plates, crucible liners, and shielding typically contain 65-90% unused precious metal residue. When generic recyclers handle these materials without consumable-specific processes, value is lost through contamination, low assay clarity, and slow or partial recovery. Reclaiming these materials yields financial savings, supports sustainability, and helps firms comply with waste regulations.

3. Detailed Provider Profiles

1. VEM 

VEM is a U.S.-based service covering nationwide clients in semiconductor fabs, photonics labs, MEMS manufacturers, aerospace coating facilities, and data-storage device producers. Offers shipping logistics guidance and durable packaging for PVD consumables.

Pros

• Fully integrated pipeline: ultrasonic cleaning, in‑house assays, chemical reclaim, bonding services.

• Accepts a wide range of PVD items: targets, shields, liners, bonded materials, film scrap.
  High recovery rates with accurate metal reporting and transparent yield.

• Reduced logistics complexity, one vendor coordinates all steps.

Cons

• Geographic service currently focused in the U.S. (international clients may require coordination).

• Smaller public brand reach versus global refiners, though highly specialized in PVD.

Pricing & Payout Structure

Although VEM does not publish fixed pricing tiers, they provide customized quotes based on cleaning complexity, metal type and expected yield, and logistics requirements. Their integrated workflow reduces hidden charges. Payments may be issued as credit toward bonded-target services or returned refined alloys.

Reclamation Methods

VEM uses chemical/hydrometallurgical refining tailored to consumable types. Pre-cleaning via ultrasonic removes residual contaminants to increase yield. In-house assay labs measure recovery, enabling data-driven process refinement. Bonded-scrap handling infuses reclaimed metals into new product alloy processes.

2. Materion

Global presence with 30+ locations serving North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Core industries include semiconductor, defense, aerospace, telecom, data centers, and optics. Materion supports global logistics, metals price risk management, and client portal interactions.

Pros

• Accepts sputtering targets, coated films, plating solutions, shield scrap, and chamber debris.

• Offers ISO-17025 certified labs with advanced assay methods (fire assay, ICP, GDMS, XRF) for highest precision.
  Rapid global turnaround and metals price hedging programs to stabilize client cost exposure.

• Capable of shield kit and precision cleaning services (though not packaged with reclamation).

Cons

• Does not offer custom cleaning or bonding tied directly to reclaim packages, clients coordinate separately.

• Logistics and material handling split across labs and cleaners increases complexity.

Pricing & Payout Structure

Materion provides credit based on market bullion rates (e.g. Engelhard spot pricing) at receipt date. They offer price risk management programs, including forward contracts to hedge customers' exposure. Customers confirm a metals consignment agreement, and may lock in pricing prior to shipment.

Payout Model

Credit is applied to Materion accounts toward new sputtering targets, shielding services, or plating materials. Shield cleaning and plating recovery are optional services that reduce total cost of ownership.

Reclamation Methods

Materion employs advanced assay techniques (fire assay, ICP, GDMS, XRF) to determine metal content with high fidelity. Cleaning shields involves chemical stripping, followed by controlled reprocessing of recovered metals. They emphasize low-contamination residue removal and recovery of up to 65,000 ozt/year.

3. Kurt J. Lesker Company

Global vacuum systems supplier headquartered in Pittsburgh, supporting clients in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific—primarily within the vacuum and deposition equipment industry. Services linked to Lesker-branded targets and deposition accessories.

Pros

• Fast credit turnaround—within ~48 hours for pure Lesker-branded materials.

• Transparent yield tiers based on weight and purity: up to ~97% for high-grade metal.

• Ideal for organizations using Lesker inventory, with seamless reclaim offset against new orders.

Cons

• Only accepts Lesker-branded scrap—third-party materials are excluded.

• No consumable cleaning or film strip assays; limited scope.

Pricing & Payout Model

Lesker provides a tiered yield structure:

• Gold yields from 94% to 97% depending on weight

• Platinum and palladium yields from 90% to 95%
  Refining fees vary (e.g., ~$5/toz for gold, ~$20/toz for Pt/Pd). Credits are typically issued within 48 hours for high-grade Lesker scrap.

Reclamation Methods

Clients ship authorized scrap (with RMA number and safety form). Lesker processes it through smelting/refining and issues payout credit equal to yield-adjusted bullion value. The model requires use of Lesker-supplied consumables.

4. Globe Metal®

Located in North America with international client base; serves industries including thin-film coating, aerospace, medical, electronics, mining, chemical processing. Offers pickup, sorting, auditing, refining, and global logistics.

Pros

• Accepts a wide array of material types: sputtering targets, powders, shields, film waste, catalyst scrap, solutions.
  Maintains ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification and issues recycling compliance certificates.

• Strong infrastructure for high-volume clients and broad metal recovery.

Cons

• No consumable-specific cleaning or bonding steps.

• Assays are less tailored to PVD residues; processes are generalized.

Pricing & Payout Model

Globe Metal provides contract-based pricing after facility audit. Quotes cover pickup, sorting, analysis, refining, and documentation. Payout is based on international bullion recovery value, with options for direct transfer or metal delivery.

Reclamation Methods

Processes include sorting, weighing, light cleaning, and chemical/smelting refining. Globe issues recycling certificates and proof-of-destruction. Assays may be general rather than PVD-specific.

5. EvoChem

Based in Germany with European markets, joining target production and reclaim into bonded-target fabrication workflow. Clients are typically R&D labs or production facilities ordering custom targets.

Pros

• Streamlined reclaim through bundled services with bonded target manufacturing.
  Minimal logistics overhead when placing targeted bonded target orders.

Cons

• Not intended for standalone reclaim jobs—service tied to bonded-target orders only.

• Not an option for reacting or ad-hoc scrap clients without target reorders.

Pricing & Payout Model

Reclaim is embedded into the cost of producing bonded targets. Scrap from previous bonded orders is refined during manufacturing—effectively reducing material charge on new orders.

Reclamation Methods

Scrap (previous bonded target or liner material) is chemically refined and incorporated into new bonded targets. No separate assay or payout—they are part of a product-focused bundle.

6. Specialty Metals Smelters & Refiners

U.S.-based (Connecticut), national scale; serves industrial, electronic, dental, jewelry, testing lab sectors. Accepts scrap via FedEx, UPS, or mail services.

Pros

• Offers flexible payout models: credit, bullion return, or pooled account.

• Transparent for high-volume industrial scrap reclaim—quick turnaround.

• Suitable for electronic or semiconductor scrap when volume is high.

Cons

• Lacks cleaning services, PVD-tailored assays, or consumable-specific workflows.
  Limited traceability—no metal provenance reports or contamination audits.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the benefits of metal reclamation for PVD consumables?
Cost recovery from unused metal, reduced wastage, sustainability alignment, and regulatory compliance.

How does reclamation work?
Material is audited via assay (XRF, ICP, fire), refined chemically or electrolytically, and returned as credit, metal, or alloy recovery. Integrated cleaning and bonding can improve outcome and logistics when available.

Which metals are most reclaimable?
Typically gold, platinum, palladium, silver, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, selected for conductivity, adhesion, and corrosion resistance in deposition processes.

What should guide provider selection?
Look at scrap scope acceptance; assay accuracy; turnaround time and payment options; bundled cleaning or bonding; relevant certifications like ISO or NADCAP; and industry specialization.

Is reclamation environmentally responsible?
Yes especially when providers are ISO-certified or use closed-loop processing, reducing mining demands and waste volume.

What are alternatives to reclaim?
Hazardous waste disposal or generic scrap recycling yield significantly lower return and lack insight into metal recovery or process optimization.