5 ms·

I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on

I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on scrap merchants who would be buying them.

jl6 5y ago
They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?
- janekm 5y ago
  Small-scale / illegal mines are a big issue in China and India, so I suppose it can be commingled into that chain: https://e360.yale.edu/features/china-wrestles-with-the-toxic-aftermath-of-rare-earth-mining https://e360.yale.edu/features/china-wrestles-with-the-toxic...
  - jeffreyrogers 5y ago
    Most platinum group metals come from Africa. Not that the transparency is any better there.
- 123pie123 5y ago
  in the uk there are laws requiring logs and proof of identity when trading scrap metal. I suspect with Catalytic Converter thefts, the CATs are small enough and light enough to be shipped abroad
  - mPReDiToR 5y ago
    In my city (YO1) we had a gang of Eastern Europeans committing this crime regularly and in quantity. They were eventually caught with container loads of cat's on their way to Europe.
  - kube-system 5y ago
    These laws are common in the US too.
  - iammisc 5y ago
    Same in Oregon. I was on a grand jury here and metal dealing without paperwork is a felony. I asked the DA and he said this is why
- londons_explore 5y ago
  Rhodium is so valuable you can fit tens of millions of dollars of it in a suitcase. And then you sell it to an actual rhodium mine who just so happens to be particularly productive that month.
  - dragontamer 5y ago
    > And then you sell it to an actual rhodium mine who just so happens to be particularly productive that month. Surely its easier to keep an eye on all rhodium mines, rather than trying to keep an eye on all scrap metal yards.
    - GLGirty 5y ago
      Yes the only thing in the way is a huge international lobby industry that pays politicians to turn a blind eye to systemic labour and environmental exploitation.
- VBprogrammer 5y ago
  I haven't looked into it in detail but I would be very surprised if this process was as simple as melting down some stolen lead flashing, surely it isn't the kind of thing you can do with a camping stove and an old pot? There must be limited facilities with the ability to extract and purify the rhodium content.
  - newguy886 5y ago
    I could. But not with a camping stove and I may have to feed some additional oxygen. But yes, doable in your backyard
vkou 5y ago
> I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on scrap merchants who would be buying them. For the same reason that they don't shut down the pawn shops buying stolen goods right across the street from the payday loan place. Because it requires actual police work, and because the people running them are 'local businessmen' with pull.

jl6 5y ago

They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?

janekm 5y ago
Small-scale / illegal mines are a big issue in China and India, so I suppose it can be commingled into that chain: https://e360.yale.edu/features/china-wrestles-with-the-toxic-aftermath-of-rare-earth-mining https://e360.yale.edu/features/china-wrestles-with-the-toxic...
- jeffreyrogers 5y ago
  Most platinum group metals come from Africa. Not that the transparency is any better there.
123pie123 5y ago
in the uk there are laws requiring logs and proof of identity when trading scrap metal. I suspect with Catalytic Converter thefts, the CATs are small enough and light enough to be shipped abroad
- mPReDiToR 5y ago
  In my city (YO1) we had a gang of Eastern Europeans committing this crime regularly and in quantity. They were eventually caught with container loads of cat's on their way to Europe.
- kube-system 5y ago
  These laws are common in the US too.
- iammisc 5y ago
  Same in Oregon. I was on a grand jury here and metal dealing without paperwork is a felony. I asked the DA and he said this is why
londons_explore 5y ago
Rhodium is so valuable you can fit tens of millions of dollars of it in a suitcase. And then you sell it to an actual rhodium mine who just so happens to be particularly productive that month.
- dragontamer 5y ago
  > And then you sell it to an actual rhodium mine who just so happens to be particularly productive that month. Surely its easier to keep an eye on all rhodium mines, rather than trying to keep an eye on all scrap metal yards.
  - GLGirty 5y ago
    Yes the only thing in the way is a huge international lobby industry that pays politicians to turn a blind eye to systemic labour and environmental exploitation.
VBprogrammer 5y ago
I haven't looked into it in detail but I would be very surprised if this process was as simple as melting down some stolen lead flashing, surely it isn't the kind of thing you can do with a camping stove and an old pot? There must be limited facilities with the ability to extract and purify the rhodium content.
- newguy886 5y ago
  I could. But not with a camping stove and I may have to feed some additional oxygen. But yes, doable in your backyard

vkou 5y ago

> I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on scrap merchants who would be buying them. For the same reason that they don't shut down the pawn shops buying stolen goods right across the street from the payday loan place. Because it requires actual police work, and because the people running them are 'local businessmen' with pull.