The value of domestic non-ferrous metals recycling is reported by the Japan Spent Catalyst Recovery Association to have risen by 23 percent to Yen 46.1B in FY 2004 (Table 1). Although these figures do not include all recycling operations, they illustrate trends in the sector. Growth in FY 2004 (year ending March 2005) was led by rare metals, the prices of which rose to record levels in 2005. The value of precious metals recovered from catalysts fell by 1 percent to Yen 27.9B in FY 2004. in terms of volume, however, gold recovery increased by 85 percent to 55.8t (Table 2), due to higher recycling of oxide catalysts. Despite increased recycling of platinum from autocatalysts, total recovery fell by 2 percent to 5.1t, because of lower recycling from petrochemical catalysts. The 18 percent drop in palladium recovery to 11.6t was due to lower recovery from hydride catalysts.
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