UNSPSC 12161612: Purchase/reclaim precious metals for catalyst

Mainly Platinum (used in Reforming catalyst) and Silver (used in EO catalyst); also Palladium and Rhenium

UNSPSC 12161612 Purchase/reclaim precious metals for catalyst is a Commodity code that state and local governments rarely use for actual procurement. The recent opportunities block contains no solicitations aligned with the code's nominal scope — precious metals reclamation or refining. Instead, the block shows a heavy concentration of well drilling, well plugging, well abandonment, well rehabilitation, orphaned oil and gas well remediation, and ancillary water infrastructure work. The code appears to be a mislabeling or administrative artifact in the taxonomy used by the jurisdictions posting these opportunities, and does not reflect what is actually being bought.

The issuing bodies in the block are primarily state environmental and natural resource agencies (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; Mississippi Oil and Gas Board; Texas General Land Office; Illinois Department of Natural Resources; City/County utilities departments). Geographic activity spans Michigan (Gratiot and Montcalm counties), Mississippi (statewide), Texas, Illinois, California, Florida, Oregon, Georgia, and other states. Representative recent opportunities include the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy direct solicitation for plugging and site restoration of three orphan gas storage wells in Gratiot County (July 21, 2026 response date), the Mississippi Oil and Gas Board IFB for plugging and remediation of seven orphaned oil and gas wells across five counties (April 13, 2026 response date), and the City of Sarasota County RFQ for single-family residential well abandonment (July 10, 2026 response date). None of these opportunities involve precious metals, catalysts, or reclamation—the core work is environmental remediation and infrastructure decommissioning.

State and local procurement personnel should treat this code as dormant or incorrectly applied. If your firm pursues orphaned well remediation, well drilling, water infrastructure, or site abandonment work, track those opportunities under UNSPSC codes specific to construction services, environmental remediation, or infrastructure engineering rather than under this commodity code.