Palladium: how does a metal born in a draw become expensive and in demand?

Find that looks like silver

Platinum was first discovered in 1700 in Europe, or rather, off its coast.

Alchemists became interested in metal and began to study it. They conducted many experiments, wanting to discover all the properties of the element and convert it into Au. Theophilus Schaeffer, the great scientist of Sweden, proclaimed the news in 1751 that platinum was a unique metal.

Platinum has become popular. A little later, in 1780, King Louis 15 of France declared that this metal was crown metal, that is, intended for persons of blue blood. Many luxury goods were created then.

In the 18th century in Russia, the properties of the metal were not discovered, so its value remained lower than silver. But thanks to scientific progress, everything has changed - now this metal is considered very expensive.

Gold

For a gram of gold you need to pay $42.43. It is perhaps the most famous precious metal in the world. Its uniqueness lies in its durability and amazing ability to maintain a good appearance for many years. This is the reason why gold is so popular among jewelers.

Like silver, gold has its own hallmarks. The most profitable ones to purchase are jewelry made of 585 gold. The price of such products is quite affordable, and the appearance does not disappoint. Although gold used to be the most expensive metal in the world, this sample is not suitable for investment. The money from the purchase will not be returned in the original amount, because it will be assessed as scrap. But gold bars are an excellent and long-term way to invest.

Scandium

Another “geographical” metal, named after the Scandinavian peninsula, where it was obtained in the laboratory back in 1879 by the scientist L. Nilsson. It is actively used in the field of innovative technologies - in laser systems, robotics, aircraft design, solar panels and prosthetics.

Scandium can also be used to make more “mundane” things – sports equipment, load-bearing structures (for example, bicycle frames). Scandium allows the creation of strong, malleable and lightweight alloys, especially when combined with aluminum. The price of 1 gram of scandium is from 3-4 USD.

Where does a person need

The applications of star metal in industry are varied.

• This is one of the main metals in hydrogen energy. It is used in the production of catalysts, devices for producing pure hydrogen, and sensors for determining hydrogen.
• Almost every computer, mobile phone, and high-frequency radio equipment uses alloys with platinum group metals.
• Many radio components contain precious palladium; amateurs and craftsmen extract it through refining at home.
• There are thousands of laboratories in the world, many of which require glassware made from precious metals and their alloys.
• These alloys are increasingly used in the production of medical devices and instruments.
• The use of palladium in pacemakers is welcomed by people for whom this device is vital.
• Preparations containing platinoids are increasingly used by oncologists, and palladium compounds are much more labile and less toxic than platinum compounds. The lion's share of the metal goes to dentists to “fix” our teeth.
• Palladium is hypoallergenic, which is why wedding rings or earrings made from the 950 alloy are increasingly in demand.
• Jewelers are content with 10% of mined palladium. Most often, metal is used in the form of alloys, which look great with diamonds and colorless stones.
• The main amount of mined silver metal is consumed by the automotive industry.
• Research is being conducted to extract palladium from spent fuel from nuclear power plants, and methods are being developed to obtain the metal from electrolyte solutions.

The price of palladium is steadily increasing, but the demand for the metal is still not satisfied.

Ruthenium

The price per gram of ruthenium is $6.59. The metal was first found in Russia, after whose Latin name it was named. Ruthenium is part of the group of platinum metals and is the rarest of them. Together with its closest neighbors, it is mined in the Republic of South Africa, Canada and Russia.

The largest consumption is in the electronics industry. Jewelry making also cannot do without it. Ruthenium is a good strengthening element that significantly increases the strength of products, and therefore their service life. In medicine, its compounds are used to treat malignant tumors and skin defects. In the chemical industry, ruthenium plays the role of a catalyst, and is also used due to its unique feature of not reacting with other substances and its high melting point (about 2000 degrees).

The color of the metal can vary depending on the methods of extraction and processing, but still fluctuates within a small range - from a light silver shade with a noticeable shine to a matte gray.

What kind of light platinum is it?

Place of palladium in group 10 of the periodic table of elements of the periodic table.

Physical properties of metal:

1. Density 12 g/cm3.
2. Of all the platinoids, this is the most fusible metal - 1552 degrees Celsius.
3. The metal color is stable, silver, white.
4. Palladium is a very soft metal, but adding ruthenium or nickel to the alloy significantly increases its hardness.
5. Palladium can accumulate hydrogen in large quantities, especially in a finely divided state.

The lattice structure is face-centered.

The precious metal has a copper structure (Bravai structure).

The chemical properties of palladium are somewhat different from those of the platinoids. Of the entire family, the metal is the most chemically active. It reacts with hot concentrated acids (H2SO4, HNO3 - sulfuric, nitric).

But palladium does not react to dilute alkalis and acids.

According to the characteristics, palladium is close to its neighbors on the periodic table. The luster and color are close to silver; its chemical properties are similar to platinum.

The easiest way to distinguish palladium from platinum is by weight. The densities of these metals differ by almost two times. Outwardly, both metals are similar, like twins.

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Conclusion

First decide what you need: white gold or platinum, find out which is better. You couldn't imagine a harder choice.

It’s easy to choose a platinum ring for a girl – just follow simple recommendations. If your fingers are the same length, narrow rings with various inserts will suit them. And if you have long fingers, you can afford to wear jewelry with impressively sized gemstones. When choosing earrings, focus on your face shape. They should be in harmony with the color of the owner's eyes.

Only you can choose: Pt or gold! Now you can see the difference. It is believed that not all properties of Pt have been revealed yet. This means that the cost of platinum will rise. Therefore, investing in this metal is profitable, since it is possible to obtain significant profits.

In addition, investing in precious metals is considered the safest.

Rhenium

Metal is a “record holder”. This is the rarest chemical element found on Earth. To separate just 100 grams of rhenium, you will have to spend about 200 tons of molybdenum and copper. At the same time, the melting point of rhenium reaches 3459 ° C (a higher value only for tungsten).

High density and refractoriness predetermine the role of rhenium - the metal is used to create rocket launchers and all structures that are operated at high temperatures and intense loads. You can buy rhenium only from a Chilean company, and the cost of 1 gram starts from 10-12 USD.

Let's combine palladium with...

Different countries have their own preferences for types of palladium alloys.

European and North American jewelers prefer to work with 950 alloy, in which copper or ruthenium is used as a ligature. Russian jewelers prefer an alloy of palladium with nickel or silver (fineness 500 and 850), or palladium with copper (fineness 850).

Attention: 950 palladium wedding rings are beneficial. Over time, your fingers become thicker; it’s easy to roll out palladium rings to the desired size.

It is impossible to check the compliance of the sample with what is declared at home; this is done by specialists.