Palladium has the lowest melting point (2830.82 °F) and is the least dense of the PGMs. Deposits of palladium are rare, but are found in South Africa, Canada, and Russia. Much of the world's demand for palladium is met by recycling catalytic converters.
The forty-sixth element of the periodic table, palladium, was discovered in 1803 and named after an asteroid. More rare than gold or silver, the silvery element is found in only one location in the United States, the Stillwater Mine in Montana, and a handful of others throughout the world.
A extremely malleable and tarnish-resistant metal, palladium has become a popular metal for jewelry making and catalytic converters because it does not react with oxygen.
What Is Palladium Used for? Palladium is used in catalytic converters for automobiles, in fuel cells to generate power, in jewelry, dental fillings, and electronic components. Catalytic converters convert the toxic gases from automobiles into less harmful substances.
Palladium is one of the rarest metals on earth and even more scarce than platinum – 15 times more rare to be precise. If all the platinum in the world fits in your house, then every ounce of palladium can easily squeeze inside your living room.
The current high price of palladium is due to increased demand from China and other countries where the economy is booming. The rise in palladium prices has led to a new trend in the jewelry industry: “palladium plating.” This process involves coating a cheaper metal with a thin layer of palladium.
Platinum is not a hard metal. It is 4 – 4.5 on the MOHs scale of hardness. This means it can be scratched by anything harder than it is. Diamond is ten on the MOHs scale and can easily scratch platinum.
Platinum is the third element of the tenth column in the periodic table. It is classified as a transition metal. Platinum atoms have 78 electrons and 78 protons with 117 neutrons in the most abundant isotope. It is considered to be a precious metal along with silver and gold.
Platinum – A Precious Metal of Choice
Naturally white, the rarest of precious metals and the most secure setting for diamonds and precious stones, Platinum is the perfect choice for an expression of love that will last a lifetime.
Palladium is the lightest and lowest-melting of the platinum metals. This gray-white metallic element occurs alloyed with platinum and iridium in Brazil, Colombia, and South Africa. Easily worked but not easily tarnished, it is used in jewelry, dental alloys, watchmaking, surgical instruments, and as a catalyst.
The largest use of palladium today is in catalytic converters. Palladium is also used in jewelry, dentistry, watch making, blood sugar test strips, aircraft spark plugs, surgical instruments, and electrical contacts. Palladium is also used to make professional transverse (concert or classical) flutes.
Palladium derives from the Greek name Pallas, a name associated in Greek mythology with Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Apparently, Wollaston was stimulated to use this name by the asteroid Pallas, one of the brightest of asteroids, which was discovered at about the same time.
Relatively hard: Palladium is considered to be a softer metal, but it is still much harder and more durable than gold, which lends more protection against impact and a greater resistance to denting. Compared to gold's knoop hardness of 200, Palladium has a knoop hardness of 400.
Palladium's lustrous silver-white color makes it an attractive choice for jewelry. Whiter than platinum, palladium does not need to be plated in rhodium or other alloys.
The oral toxicity of palladium is low because of poor absorption; however, palladium salts have shown to be potent skin sensitizers and may cause bronchial asthma if there is exposure to these in high concentration.
It Brings Financial Prosperity
1 astro-numerologist and recipient of the 'Excellence in Astrology Award' says, "As per numerology, platinum represents the number 5. Wearing this metal will increase your financial prosperity.
Platinum will leave your face feeling deeply hydrated, giving it a plump and fresh look. While moisturizers are usually a go-to for dry skin, try a platinum skincare serum too. The Bionyx Platinum Vita Night Recovery is a good place to start. This silky serum will leave your skin feeling ultra soft and supple.
Pure platinum has numerous applications in dentistry because of its high fusing point and resistance to oral conditions and elevated temperatures. Platinum increases the hardness and elastic qualities of gold, and some dental casting alloys and wires contain quantities of platinum up to 8% combined with other metals.
Tungsten, which is Swedish for "heavy stone," is the strongest metal in the world. It was identified as a new element in 1781. It is commonly used to make bullets and missiles, metal evaporation work, manufacturing of paints, creating electron and Television tubes, and making glass to metal seals.
Platinum can not be re-used and re-melted like white gold. Therefore, any scraps and filings must be sent to a refiner which is very expensive.
Rhodium, iridium and ruthenium are perhaps the rarest, roughly 1/5 as common as platinum. However, the sale price of rhodium is typically a bit less than that of platinum, and the rest are even less expensive because they are simply less useful.
In 2021, approximately 200 metric tons of palladium was produced worldwide. Russia had been the leading global producer of palladium in recent years, but ranked second in 2021 next to South Africa. In 2021, South African palladium production was 80 metric tons, while Russian production amounted to 74 metric tons.
Two precious metals that are actually more scarce than gold and silver are platinum and palladium. While platinum is currently more well-known, both platinum and palladium are very similar. The differences between the two mainly come down to density and price.