Planta Recuperadora de Metales

What Planta Recuperadora de Metales does

Planta Recuperadora de Metales SpA (PRM) is a privately held Chilean industrial processor that recovers and commercializes precious metals from byproducts generated by copper refineries. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Santiago with its processing plant in the industrial zone of Mejillones, Antofagasta (Sexta Industrial 8147), PRM processes non-ferrous metal byproducts — specifically copper-rich precipitates and anode slimes — supplied by copper refineries, extracting and selling gold, silver and other precious metals to international buyers. The company employs 51–100 people across its plant and corporate office.

PRM's core technology is metallurgical processing tailored to non-ferrous refinery byproduct streams, integrated with an in-house chemical laboratory accredited under NCh-ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (certificate LE 1416) by Chile's Instituto Nacional de Normalización and internationally recognized by IAAC and ILAC. This laboratory supports the company's compliance with Chilean Customs Resolución Exenta 3625 for legal export of precious metals. PRM has maintained RMI Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) conformant status through annual independent audits every year from 2017 through 2024, and adheres to the OECD Guidelines for Due Diligence in Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals. The company also operates compliance frameworks under Chilean Law 20.393 (crime prevention) and Law 21.643 (Ley Karin harassment channel), and is a member of the Fundación para la Sustentabilidad del Gaviotín Chico.

PRM generates revenue primarily on a transaction basis by selling recovered precious metals to international buyers, supplemented by accredited laboratory and quality control services that support export compliance. It markets and distributes through direct, bilateral commercial relationships with no intermediaries, supported by an institutional, compliance-driven go-to-market approach that emphasizes certifications, due-diligence reports and community engagement. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled through quote-based, contract-negotiated terms typical of B2B industrial processors. The primary customer segment is copper refineries supplying byproduct streams; recovered metals are sold to international precious-metals traders and exporters.

Name

Planta Recuperadora de Metales

Legal name

Planta Recuperadora de Metales SpA

Website

https://prm.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Planta Recuperadora de Metales (PRM) is a Chilean industrial processor that recovers and commercializes precious metals (gold, silver) from copper-refinery byproducts (precipitates and anode slimes) at its Mejillones plant, serving copper refineries and international metals buyers under OECD and RMI RMAP conformant standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precious Metals Recovery Services

NAICS

Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (33141)

SIC

Secondary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3341), Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330)

akta.pro primary industry

Copper By-Products Recovery (Molybdenum, Gold/Silver, Sulfuric Acid) (IMAKADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Precious & Specialty Metal Recovery (Smelting, Refining, Hydrometallurgy) (EUAIAIAD)

Keywords

• Precious metals recovery
• Copper refinery byproducts
• Anode slime processing
• Metallurgical processing services
• Responsible minerals sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Mejillones

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Precious Metal Recovery and Commercialization: PRM processes non-ferrous metal byproducts (copper-rich precipitates and anode slimes) from copper refineries to recover and commercialize precious metals (gold, silver, and other precious metals). Revenue is generated through the sale of recovered precious metals to the market, representing a transaction-based revenue stream tied to commodity prices and processing volumes.
2. Laboratory and Quality Control Services: PRM provides accredited chemical laboratory services for physicochemical analysis of precious metals, supporting compliance with Chilean customs export requirements. These services complement the core metal recovery operation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Planta Recuperadora de Metales operates a metallurgical processing plant in Mejillones, Chile, that processes non-ferrous metal byproducts from copper refineries—specifically copper-rich precipitates and anode slimes—to recover precious metals (gold, silver, and others) which are then commercialized. The recovery and export operation is supported by an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited in-house chemical laboratory and audited under OECD-aligned due diligence standards (RMI RMAP).

Product overview

Planta Recuperadora de Metales (PRM) is a binational metal recovery project that operates as a single integrated facility processing non-ferrous metals from copper refineries. The company extracts copper-rich precipitates and anodic slimes to recover and commercialize precious metals. Core operations are supported by an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited chemical laboratory providing quality control services for precious metals analysis. The company also provides mineral supply chain due diligence services aligned with OECD guidelines, crime prevention compliance under Law 20.393, and harassment prevention reporting channels under Law 21.643.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metal Recovery Services (Recuperación de Metales Preciosos) Industrial processing service that recovers and commercializes precious metals (gold, silver, and others) from non-ferrous metal refinery byproducts—specifically copper-rich precipitates and anode slimes—from copper refineries. Intended for copper refineries seeking to monetize byproducts under responsible-sourcing standards.
• Chemical Laboratory Quality Control Services Accredited physicochemical analysis services for precious metals, supporting the company's own recovery operations and external quality control needs. Backed by NCh-ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation (Certificate LE 1416) from Chile's INN, internationally recognized by IAAC and ILAC, and enabling compliance with Chilean Customs Resoluci\u00f3n Exenta 3625 for export of precious metals.
• Mineral Supply Chain Due Diligence Services Supply chain due diligence services ensuring responsible gold and silver supply chains, compliant with OECD Guidelines for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. Supports RMI RMAP conformant status and international buyer chain-of-custody requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% verification compliance achieved for COVID-19 seal certification by ACHS (2021)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Asociación Chilena de Seguridad (ACHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021PRM partnered with ACHS to implement COVID-19 prevention protocols, achieving 100% compliance verification and earning the Sello COVID-19 certification in July 2021. ACHS provided ongoing evaluation, review, and support for PRM's Safety and Occupational Health Management System, helping strengthen workplace safety standards across all operations.
• Instituto Nacional de Normalización (INN)coreOthersINN is Chile's national standards body that granted PRM's laboratory its NCh-ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation (certificate LE 1416). This accreditation covers physicochemical analysis for precious metals and is internationally recognized by IAAC and ILAC. INN accreditation enables PRM to comply with Chilean customs export requirements (Resolución Exenta 3625) for precious metals.
• Fundación para la Sustentabilidad del Gaviotín ChicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRM is an active member of the Fundación para la Sustentabilidad del Gaviotín Chico, joining from its operational phase. PRM subscribes to all projects and programs developed by the Foundation to support the protection and preservation of the Peruvian Tern (Sterna Lorata, gaviotín chico). PRM also conducts ongoing training for its own workers and contractors on the protection and preservation of the species.
• Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRM participates in the Responsible Minerals Initiative and has maintained RMI RMAP conformant status through annual independent audits from 2017 through 2024. The company adheres to the OECD Guidelines for Due Diligence in Responsible Supply Chains for Minerals, implementing due diligence processes, publishing annual reports, and submitting to RMAP audits to demonstrate responsible sourcing of precious metals.
• Orquesta Sinfónica de MejillonesminorOthersPRM supports the Orquesta Sinfónica de Mejillones through a Cooperation Agreement (Convenio de Cooperación), contributing to the cultural development of the commune of Mejillones. This partnership is part of PRM's broader community engagement and social responsibility program.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Umicore: Belgian materials technology group with a major precious metals refining and recycling business recovering gold, silver, platinum and palladium from industrial byproducts and end-of-life materials. Comparable to PRM in the precious metal recovery from industrial feedstocks segment.
• Aurubis: European non-ferrous metals group that recovers gold, silver, and other precious metals as byproducts of copper smelting and refining. Comparable to PRM as a multi-site precious metal recovery operation integrated with copper refining, though much larger and more diversified globally.
• Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo: Japanese precious metals group with refining operations that recover and purify gold, silver, and PGMs from industrial byproducts. Comparable to PRM in precious metal refining from industrial feedstocks, though operating at much larger scale and with broader downstream product lines.
• Boliden: Swedish mining and smelting company that recovers precious metals (gold, silver) as byproducts of its copper and zinc smelting operations. Comparable to PRM's core activity of precious metal recovery from non-ferrous smelter outputs, with integrated upstream mining.
• Heraeus Precious Metals: German precious metals group operating one of the world's largest precious metals refineries, recovering and trading gold, silver, and PGM from industrial and recycled feedstocks. Comparable as a precious metal refiner serving industrial byproduct supply chains, though at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Codelco (División Ventanas / Refineries): Chilean state-owned copper mining company that operates copper smelters and refineries producing the anode slimes and precipitates that PRM processes. Both a potential feedstock supplier and a potential vertical integrator threat to PRM's recovery operations.
• Glencore Copper (Altonorte/Las Truchas): Global mining and trading major with copper smelting operations in Chile (Altonorte, Mejillones area) producing precious-metal-bearing byproducts. Adjacent as both a potential feedstock source and a competitive threat if it brings precious metal recovery in-house.

Direct peers

• Chimet: Italian precious metals refinery specializing in recovery of gold, silver, and platinum group metals from industrial byproducts and sweeps. Directly comparable to PRM as a precious metal recovery processor focused on industrial byproduct streams rather than primary mining.
• Sabin Metal Corp: US-based precious metals refiner specializing in recovery of platinum group metals, gold, and silver from industrial spent catalysts and byproducts. Comparable to PRM as a specialized industrial precious metal refiner serving byproduct streams under responsible-sourcing standards.

Regional players

• Met-Mex Peñoles: Mexican non-ferrous metals smelter and refiner that recovers gold, silver, and other precious metals as byproducts of lead and zinc smelting. Most comparable Latin American peer to PRM given regional proximity and shared focus on byproduct precious metal recovery from non-ferrous smelting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planta-recuperadora-de-metales-spa

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Planta Recuperadora de Metales