![]() ![]() Platinum is malleable and ductile, which means it can be crafted into different shapes without cracking or losing strength. This makes platinum jewelry unusually and luxuriantly heavy – you will definitely notice a difference in weight compared to gold or silver jewelry. Platinum is the third-densest natural element known to exist, placing just behind its fellow platinum group metals osmium and iridium. When it was first encountered by 18th century Spanish miners in South America, they regarded platinum as an unwanted impurity in silver ore, derisively calling it platino (meaning “little silver”). Interestingly, platinum wasn’t always recognized as valuable. However, the prices of precious metals are always fluctuating, and at the time of last updating this guide, gold is the more expensive of the two. It’s 30 times rarer than gold, and as such, has often been priced higher. Much of the value of platinum derives from its extraordinary scarcity. Prized for its silvery-white sheen, rarity, and resistance to tarnish and corrosion, it has been used in the making of platinum jewelry for thousands of years. Platinum is the eponymous and most abundant member of the platinum group. Useful in the manufacture of electrical components, catalytic converters, fuel cells, and nitric acid, and in various other industrial applications. ![]() ![]() Typically found together in the same mineral deposits, or as a by-product of copper and nickel production (mainly from sources in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Russia).High tarnish and corrosion resistance, and immunity to most forms of chemical attack.They are all dense, noble metals with a lustrous silvery color.Īccording to the United States Geological Survey, other distinctive properties of platinum metals include: The six platinum group metals share similar physical appearances and chemical properties. ![]()
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