Gong due to be melted down to make little silver fish (7)

I believe the answer is:

gudgeon

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'fish' is the definition.
(gudgeon is a kind of fish)

'gong due to be melted' is the wordplay.
'to be melted' indicates an anagram.
'gong'+'due'='gongdue'
'gongdue' anagrammed gives 'GUDGEON'.

'down to make little silver' acts as a link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for gudgeon that I've seen before include "Swimmer" , "angler's bait" , "Fish, or person easily cheated" , "Small carp-like fish" , "Small freshwater fish" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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