Junkyard Palladium Growth an Answer to Waning Resource
- Yanking out old catalytic converters less costly than mining
- Push for reclaimed metal comes as demand deficit gains
Photographer: Fabrice Dimier/Bloomberg
This article is for subscribers only.
Junkyard palladium is quickly becoming a growth market as mined supplies of the silvery-white metal used to control harmful auto emissions run increasingly short.
With palladium prices up 83 percent since mid-August, recyclers are gaining an edge at a time when some producers are forecasting a deficit of about 1 million ounces for the year. If the raw metal is removed from holders in 2019 at the same rate as 2018, “known inventories” may run out in about a year, said Nicky Shiels, a strategist at the Bank of Nova Scotia.