Unearthed: Inside the Refinery ft Dr Robin Kolvenbach, Argor-Heraeus

This episode was filmed on Wednesday 15th July and is part 1 of a 2 part series with Argor-Heraeus.

In this episode of Unearthed, hosts John Reade and Joe Cavatoni are joined by Dr. Robin Kolvenbach, CEO of Argor-Heraeus a major precious metals refining company located in Mendrisio, Switzerland. Together they unpack the drivers behind the refining industry, often the least understood link in the gold value chain.

Episode one dives into the economics of the refining industry, why a rising gold price is a cost and a risk to refiners, and how metal lease rates shape the business. In the conversation they cover sourcing patterns reshaped by downstream demand for responsible supply, the scale and significance of bar and coin demand, physically segregated production lines and the tracing processes that allows a gold bar to be identified with a phone years after it leaves the refinery.

Subscribe to Unearthed wherever you get your podcasts and visit Goldhub.com for more insights.

About World Gold Council

We are a membership organisation that champions the role gold plays as a strategic asset, shaping the future of a responsible and accessible gold supply chain. Our team of experts builds understanding of the use case and possibilities of gold through trusted research, analysis, commentary, and insights. We drive industry progress, shaping policy and setting the standards for a perpetual and sustainable gold market.

You can follow the World Gold Council on Twitter at @goldcouncil and LinkedIn.

Terms & Conditions | World Gold Council

Notable Quotes

"I think what is important is you need overcapacity in a gold refinery because the inflow is not stable, but it has spikes." - Dr Robin Kolvenbach

"We see an increased need for responsible sourcing on the downstream side, which changed our sourcing pattern in a way that we rather these days source from less risky jurisdictions than we might have done 20 years ago." - Dr Robin Kolvenbach

"The other thing that's under appreciated by participants in the gold market is just how important bar and coin investments are." - John Reade