Recovered Materials

Britannia’s Gold Ltd (BGL) is a specialist maritime salvage company that focuses on the recovery of targeted high value cargoes from sunken vessels. This work is carried out with the knowledge, approval and/or co-operation of relevant Government authorities and Merchant Marine Charities.


Using innovative technology and many decades of thorough research, BGL is able to recover gold, silver, and other high value cargoes from targeted shipwrecks across the oceans of the world.

What Materials are Recovered?

Gold and Silver

During World War One and World War Two, the British Government shipped gold bullion to pay for munitions and supplies. During the two world wars approximately 13,551 Allied and Axis merchant ships were sunk, more than 700 of which have been identified by BGL research teams as carriers of gold and silver bullion. After inflation, the current value of these lost shipments is estimated to be in the region of 300 billion pounds.

What Materials are Recovered?

Non-Irradiated Steel

In addition to the high value cargo, and integral to our salvage efforts, is the presence of non-irradiated steel, otherwise known as low-background steel. Vessels sunk prior to the detonation of the first nuclear bombs in the mid1940s are the last sources of non-irradiated steel on the planet. Because the steel was produced during pre-nuclear times, these vessels have become a valuable resource for the industries that require low-background steel.


Devices that require non-irradiated steel include:

  • MRI machines and other medical apparatus 
  • Geiger counters
  • Aeronautical and space sensors
  • Photonic devices

How Are Materials Recovered?

The goal is to recover the high value cargoes efficiently using equipment and methods that are sympathetic and appropriate to the material being recovered. Non-Irradiated Steel can be a quantified prime target recovery or a by-product of salvage operations. To learn more about our salvage process, visit our “Technology” page.

Technology
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