There's gold in them there scrap heaps, or there can be, and that's where Academy comes in. The Academy Group refines precious metals, including silver and gold, from leftovers such as flake, scrap, sludges, sweepings, filings, and buffings. Academy manufactures bullion, provides materials (sheet, wire, and casting grain products) for jewelry makers and silversmiths, and operates silver-recovery equipment for the photo processing, medical, and graphic arts industries. It operates half a dozen locations throughout the US, including its refinery in New Mexico. Brush Engineered Materials bought Academy in early 2010 for about $25 million; it will operate the company as a wholly owned subsidiary.