As for scrap, there again is a contrast between gold and silver, said Newman.

FORBES: Gold Should Break $1,600, Silver Near $50 by Year End --GFMS' Newman

In gold, he said, the scrap is dominated by jewelry and is price sensitive, which means there is an immediate reaction when prices move up.

FORBES: Gold Should Break $1,600, Silver Near $50 by Year End --GFMS' Newman

Another talking point is likely to be scrap supply coming back onto the market due to high gold prices.

FORBES: LBMA Conference Coming To Montreal With Gold At Historically High Prices

Even in the case of precious metals like gold and palladium, she said recovery of scrap is much higher if the printed circuit boards are manually removed, rather than being thrown in a shredder.

FORBES: INTERVIEW: Recycling Of Specialty Metals Needs Improvement - Yale Researcher