Chairman: Edwin Broekaert, Umicore (Belgium)
Co-Chairman: Daniela Cholakova, Aurubis (Germany)
Precious Metals Refinables are non-waste complex (UVCB) isolated intermediates resulting from a primary and/or secondary refining stream containing precious metals. The complexity of these refining streams results from the fact that they arise from a variety of non-ferrous metals refining streams with a valuable presence of precious metals. These streams are collected by specialized refiners which apply the necessary pyro- and hydro-metallurgical processes to recover the precious metal content. The variability within each type of Refinable is very much influenced by the source of the refining material as well as by the specificities of the process which is applied to recover the precious metal content. From all substances of unknown or variable composition (UVCB) falling in the scope of the REACH regulation, PM Refinables are probably among the most representative examples!
Fourteen PM Refinable groups have been identified by the Consortium (see inventory for further details). A Registration Dossier was prepared for each one of these groups which included all available existing data, one or more classification(s) or a classification pick-list, and a Guidance on Safe Use for each Refinable. All fourteen Registration Dossiers have been successfully registered by the relevant Lead Registrants in 2010. Letters of Access are available for non-Consortium Members so they can refer to the Lead Registrant dossier as foreseen by the REACH Regulation (OSOR principle).
CLP notifications for the fourteen intermediates above were submitted as part of their REACH Registrations. Legal entities who are not registering these intermediates (at all or before 3 January 2011) and who place them on the EEA market were invited to agree with the classification(s) submitted through their REACH-IT accounts as required by the CLP regulation. All CLP notifications are being revised against the 2nd ATP to CLP. The Consortium is taking the opportunity to improve the quality of the classifications derived by defining classification profiles or groups for each intermediate and integrating recent information on the constituents in each.
Following the release of the December 2010 ECHA Guidance on intermediates, the Consortium reviewed the registration strategy for these intermediates and is generating data, information and tools to properly demonstrate and document that rigorous containment and strictly controlled conditions (SCC) are in place. Where SCC cannot be demonstrated, the Registration Dossiers will need to include more information which allows to properly risk assess the intermediate under REACH. For such complex UVCB materials though, full registration can be challenging and may require an approach which is different to the one followed for simpler substances under REACH (i.e. REACH Annexes VII-X tests). Industry, toxicology and eco-toxicology experts organised in a platform under the umbrella of Eurométaux are currently brainstorming on the best methodology to perform a scientifically robust and valid risk assessment of a UVCB based on the effects and exposure data available on the constituting elements of each UVCB.
Potential registrants are informed as regularly as possible on other activities and data needs of the Consortium by e-mail. As from April 2012, the Consortium will be using REACHCentrum’s SIEF communication tool to send notifications to all pre-registrants. Please make sure you regularly check the e-mail account you have provided with your contact details when pre-registering and becoming a member of each SIEF. If you change this e-mail address, pre-registrants are invited to send an updated .xml of the relevant SIEF(s) to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Precious Metals Refinables inventory (see attached pdf)