Did You Know We Use Silver Repurposed From NHS X-Rays?
The Rock Hound has always been an innovative brand. Seeking out the newest and most sustainable options for creating statement jewellery from the start. The jewellery industry in general has made leaps towards being more responsible in recent years but there is still a long way to go.
With this focus, The Rock Hound now only casts all the sterling silver HotRocks collection in 100% recycled silver from a traceable source of salvaged X-ray silver. If you raised an eyebrow at the mention of silver and X-rays in the same sentence then buckle up, let us explain!
It has been possible to recycle silver from X-ray film via an electrolytic process for many decades, but it was only in 2022 that well know UK refiner Betts decided to segregate this material and develop a clear chain of custody. Before this they had been co-mingling the silver at the point of refining with other recycled sources. This change meant developing a new and robust system. This new system has been audited by the Responsible Jewellery Council so consumers can be assured there are robust processes in affect.
Image courtesy of Betts Group
The X-rays come from individual NHS trusts as well as private hospitals in the UK and abroad. They are usually old or broken and as standard many old X-ray machines are retained in storage indefinitely, either taking up valuable space within hospitals or being stored with storage businesses at significant cost. So this recycling process saves money for trusts otherwise paying unnecessary storage fees, ensures compliance with retention of records and data management rules and provides a financial return to hospitals for the silver content of their film. On top of this, all elements (film, paper, carboard and PET) are recycled.
Image courtesy of Betts Group
Historically the film which contains the silver has often ended up in landfill. Some film is sold for silver recovery, which is good but it is done by burning the film, which has a negative environmental impact.
But how is it done?
The process involves manually separating and inspecting each element within the X-ray file, the bit you see your insides on! This includes the cardboard, paper, and film. The film undergoes a chemical process that dissolves the silver it contains. This also results in a separate recycling of clear plastic PET, double win! Plus this special process of recycling silver differs from traditional silver recovery and recycling methods because it only uses mild acids, rendering it a lower impact on the environment.
The extracted silver undergoes an electroplating process for approximately three weeks, culminating in the production of a silver bar that is approximately 96% pure recycled silver. I then undergoes a second step making it 100% pure silver! This silver is then used in our casting process to create your favourite HotRocks pieces.
If you haven’t heard of casting, you’re in for a treat! Casting is an ancient process which allows us to replicate an item. In the case of HotRocks each piece is an exact replica of a quartz crystal cast through the lost wax casting process. A mould is made of the original crystal and it is replicated in wax. These wax crystal replicas are then encased in plaster and molten metal is poured in. The heat from the molten metal allows the wax to melt and the metal takes the form that the wax once inhabited. The metal hardens and voila! A cast is born.
At The Rock hound we are always striving to be more sustainable and reduce the impact we have on the environment. This is just one step in the right direction. We look forward to sharing future steps with you too. If you want to know more about the process or anything else you can always get in touch, we love hearing from you.