Foundries employ systematic processes to recycle bronze scrap and defective castings, minimizing waste while maintaining material quality. The recycling begins with thorough sorting—scrap is separated by alloy composition and contamination levels to ensure purity. Failed castings undergo inspection; repairable pieces are reworked, while irreparable ones are crushed or shredded for remelting.

The scrap is then charged into high-temperature furnaces (often induction or reverberatory types) where it’s melted at 1,700–1,900°F. During melting, degassing agents and flux materials remove oxides and impurities. Crucially, foundries analyze the molten bronze’s chemical composition using spectrometry, adjusting alloy ratios by adding pure metals (e.g., copper, tin) to meet specifications.

Modern foundries integrate closed-loop systems: dust collectors capture metal particles from grinding, and slag byproducts are processed for residual metal extraction. This approach achieves up to 95% material recovery, reducing reliance on virgin metals. Some facilities even repurpose grinding sludge as abrasive media. Through these methods, the bronze casting industry maintains both economic viability and environmental responsibility.