The facility will analyse recovered materials, refine precious metals to a purity of 99.99% (4N)
TANAKA Precious Metal Technologies Co. Ltd. will establish a joint venture with Malaysia-based MEP Enviro Technology Sdn. Bhd. to recycle and refine precious metals in Malaysia, strengthening its recycling operations across the ASEAN region.
The new company, TANAKA MEP REFINERY Sdn. Bhd., will be located at Batu Kawan Industrial Park in Penang. TANAKA will hold a 66.7% stake in the venture, while MEP will own the remaining 33.3%. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in April 2029. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site on October 8, 2026.
The facility will analyse recovered materials, refine precious metals to a purity of 99.99% (4N), and manufacture and trade precious metal products. Initially, it plans to produce high-purity gold and potassium gold cyanide (PGC) for the electrical and electronics (E&E) and semiconductor industries.
The joint venture builds on a technical assistance agreement signed by TANAKA and MEP in August 2024 to advance precious metal recovery in Malaysia. Under the arrangement, MEP will preprocess recovered materials, while the new company will undertake analysis, refining, and the manufacture and sale of precious metal products.
The venture aims to address growing demand for precious metal recovery from manufacturing scrap and electronic waste, driven by the expansion of semiconductor and electronics manufacturing in Malaysia and across ASEAN. It will combine TANAKA’s expertise in precious metal refining, processing, quality control, and production management with MEP’s resource recovery capabilities.
The establishment of the Malaysian facility will expand TANAKA’s global precious metal recycling network, which already includes operations in Japan, Europe, North America, China, and Taiwan. The company aims to support resource circularity and ensure a stable supply of precious metals.