Unparted Bullion

Bars or ingots of precious metals that contain substantial amounts of more than one type of metal. Unparted bullion may contain gold, silver, platinum or palladium and is valued by the fineness and weight of the metals it contains. Parted bullion is refined and contains only trace amounts of impurities. Bullion coming directly from a mine would likely be unparted.

Because of its impurity, unparted bullion could not be used for coinage in the United States back when precious metals were exchanged as money. However, unparted bullion could be traded in for an equivalent value of fine bars at a mint. The mint could then turn the unparted bullion into parted bullion through a refining process.