Meet Robert Karas
My name is Robert Karas, the owner of Rowow LLC where we’ve developed a fully electrochemical, closed-loop process for recovering precious metals. We call it SEM TECH, short for Salt Electro Mining Technology.
As we learned more about the industry, several major gaps became clear: few viable alternatives to existing methods, most processes struggling with platinum group metals, and in the United States, essentially no robust PGM industry. Seeing the scale of the problem, we realized this technology could have far greater impact if open-sourced.
The Industry Gaps We’re Solving
☣️ Pollution
Most conventional processes generate significant toxic waste streams. Our system runs closed-loop with no toxic outputs.
⚗️ PGM Blindspot
Most refining focuses only on gold and silver, missing substantial value. We handle the full platinum group metals spectrum.
🏭 No Domestic Industry
In the U.S., getting PGMs refined often means costly overseas shipments. We’re building the domestic infrastructure.
Our Story
The idea began when Robert was asked by a friend to process a high-grade gold ore. Like many first-time refiners, he started with acid leaching using aqua regia, learning mostly through trial, error, and plenty of mistakes.
The breakthrough came when he replaced chemical precipitation with electrolysis. One key upgrade: replacing nitric acid with sodium chlorate, a stronger oxidizer capable of dissolving rhodium, iridium, and other platinum group metals, while being far more sustainable because it can be produced from salt.
“Seeing both the technical advantages and the scale of the problem, I realized this technology could have far greater impact than I could ever achieve alone. That’s why our intention is to open-source our work.”
— Robert Karas, Founder
Our Open-Source Mission
We believe breakthrough technology only reaches its full potential when it’s accessible to everyone. We share designs, results, and setbacks transparently.
⚙️ GitHub Repository
Explore our open-source ion exchange membrane design: full specs, materials, and assembly instructions.
▶️ YouTube Channel
Watch regular updates, process demos, and lessons learned as we build in real time. We share the wins AND the failures.
Speed Up the Research
Check out our open source mission and see how you can help with this project
Learn more about our electrochemical recovery methods, review our patents, browse our product shop, or read our FAQ.