The Recovery of Platinum from Reforming Catalysts

The platinum-bearing catalysts now in such substantial use in the petroleum industry retain their high activity during many months of use, but ultimately they require to be replaced by fresh charges. The efficient and economic recovery of the platinum from spent catalyst is therefore of great importance to the commercial success of catalytic reforming. This article describes the methods adopted in the Johnson Matthey refineries, particularly for sampling, to achieve the highest possible recoveries of these residues.