Platinum

Platinum is a dense, unreactive, and highly valued silverish-white transition metal bearing the symbol Pt. This remarkable metal is not only prized for its aesthetic qualities and shiny appearance but also commands considerable value in the precious metals market due to its extreme rarity and unique properties. Platinum belongs to the platinum group of elements and is recognized as one of the rarer elements found within the earth’s crust. Most of the world’s platinum, approximately 80%, has originated from mines located in South Africa, where annually only a few hundred tonnes are produced. Platinum is known to be one of the least reactive metals and exhibits a high level of resistance to corrosion, even at elevated temperatures; therefore, it is often categorized as a noble metal. Additionally, platinum is often found chemically uncombined in its native form in nature. The use of platinum stretches back to pre-Columbian times when natives in South America first utilized it to create various artifacts. In modern times, platinum’s applications are incredibly diverse, including uses in catalytic converters, laboratory and medical equipment, dental implements, exquisite fine jewelry, and many other important industrial applications.

Palladium

Another member of the Platinum Group of elements, Palladium (Pd) shares many characteristics with Platinum including its applications and similar appearance. However, there are some distinguishing differences between the members of this group. Palladium notably has a higher Moh’s hardness rating than platinum, and the lowest density and melting point of all the Platinum group metals (PGMs). First discovered in 1802 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston, Palladium was named by him after the asteroid Pallas which itself was named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired by her when she slew Pallas. Over Half of the world’s supply of Palladium and its congener Platinum is used in Catalytic converters to reduce toxic engine emissions into non harmful vapors such as water, nitrogen and CO2. The most important commercial sources of Palladium are found in Nickel-Copper deposits in the Sudbury Basin, Ontario and the Norilsk-Talnakh deposits in Siberia. Palladium is also commonly found alloyed with other PGMs in various mining sites. Palladium is used similarly to Platinum in many industries, such as Catalytic converters, groundwater treatment, electronics, hydrogen purification, and jewelry. Palladium is a key ingredient in fuel rods where hydrogen and oxygen react to produce electricity, heat and water. Palladium absorbs hydrogen readily at room temperature and has superconductive properties when bombarded by alpha particles at low temperatures.

Rhodium

Rhodium is an extremely rare, Silvery-White, Corrosion resistant Platinum group metal. Rhodium only has one naturally occurring isotope (103Rh) and is commonly found as free metal or as an alloy with other PGM’s. Rhodium was discovered in 1803 also by William Hyde Wollaston in a Nickel-Platinum rich ore. He named the metal after one of its rose colored chlorine compounds. Rhodium is considered to be one of the rarest and most valuable of the precious metals. Rhodium is often alloyed with platinum and other PGM’s for use in catalytic converters and other high temperature and corrosion resistant coatings. White gold is frequently plated with a thin layer of Rhodium to increase its aesthetic appearance. The first major commercial uses for Rhodium were electroplating for decorative uses and as a corrosion resistant coating. In 1976 Volvo introduced the three way catalytic converter, utilizing Rhodium to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxides in engine exhaust. Previous catalytic converter designs only used Platinum and Palladium. Today about 80% of the worlds Rhodium production is consumed for its use in three way catalytic converters. Rhodium has a higher melting point but a lower density than Platinum and is not effected by most acids. Rhodium ores are a mixture of other metals such as Palladium, Silver, Platinum and Gold. The separation of these metals poses significant challenges. Rhodium is a fission product of Uranium-235, therefore used nuclear fuel is a potential source, although the extraction from this source is highly intensive on equipment, money and time. The main exporter of Rhodium is south Africa with approximately 80%, followed by the Ural mountains in Russia. The annual world production is 30 tonnes.

Copper

Copper (Cu) is a reddish, soft, malleable, ductile metal with very efficient thermal and electronic conductivity. Copper is frequently used in electronics and plumbing, and is a component of some sterling silver alloys. Copper is one of the few metals that occur naturally in a stable metallic form. This led to the metal being used often in early human history for various applications such as tools and artefacts. Copper was the first metal purposefully alloyed by early civilizations, utilizing a Copper/Tin alloy to produce Bronze. This advancement led to the introduction of the Bronze age, with the metal being the first metal truly suited to holding an edge and exhibiting resilience with frequent use/ elemental exposure. Copper salts present in minerals have been widely used as pigments for their brilliant green/blue hues. Copper is an essential dietary mineral to all living organisms because it is a key constituent of the respiratory enzyme complex cytochrome c oxidase. in humans Copper is mainly located in the liver, muscle, and bones. The adult human body contains between 1.4 and 2.1 mg of Copper per kilogram of body weight. In the Roman era Copper was mined mainly on Cyprus, with the origin of its name aes cyprium (metal of Cyprus) later corrupting to Cuprum (Latin). Early english spelling Coper transitioned into the modern spelling Copper, with the later spelling first being used around 1530. Copper is present in the earths crust at about 50 parts per million and occurs in many different minerals, including, native Copper, Copper sulfides, Copper sulfosalts, Copper carbonates, and as Copper oxides. The largest ever elemental copper mass was discovered in 1857 on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan, weighing 420 tonnes. The global market for Copper is volatile, however it remains one of the most commodified natural resources on the market.