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Where can platinum be found?
The majority (about 80 percent) of platinum is mined in South Africa. Approximately 10 percent is mined in Russia, and the rest is found in North and South America, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
How is platinum usually found on Earth?
Platinum in the Earth's crust originates from ultra-mafic igneous rocks. It can therefore be associated with rocks like chromite and olivine. In nature, pure platinum is unknown and well formed crystals are very rare. Platinum is typically found as nuggets and grains.
Is platinum easy to find?
Platinum is used in jewelry, thermocouples, catalytic converters and many other places. That should mean that it is easy to find bits and chunks of platinum scrap that we can recycle profitably for you, correct? Well yes, there is a lot of the metal out there waiting for you to discover.
What everyday items have platinum?
Platinum has often been used in cigarette boxes, lighter cases, cigarette and cigar holders, cigar cutters, and other smoking accessories. Now that smoking is becoming less popular, a number of these items are “washing back” onto the marketplace.
How can you tell if a rock is platinum?
Use a magnet to determine that metal is not platinum. Platinum is not magnetic. Therefore, if the piece you are testing is attracted to a magnet, you will know it is not platinum. If you notice a slight magnetic pull, it is more likely that the metal is white gold mixed with nickel.
What does platinum look like in rocks?
It is opaque, silvery gray, and markedly dense. Platinum usually occurs as disseminated grains in ironand magnesium-rich igneous rocks and in quartz veins associated with hematite, chlorite, and pyrolusite.
Does platinum stick to a magnet?
Is platinum magnetic: why is my platinum jewelry sticking to magnets and other questions about Platinum Jewelry. The quick answer is no, Platinum on its pure form is not magnetic (a paramagnetic metal). It is also hypoallergenic, which means that it will not react to sweat, will not tarnish, nor corrode.
What scrap has platinum in it?
#1: Jewelry Factories & Workshops Jewelry factories that repair or produce platinum jewelry can be a great source of platinum scrap. Often, it can be found in floor dust, bench sweepings, and “squiggles” that are made when platinum is produced on machinery.
How can you tell platinum from silver?
While at first glance both silver and platinum appear silver in color, the two metals are actually easily discernible to the naked eye. Both have gray undertones, unlike white gold which has a warmer, yellow undertone, but platinum is much brighter and shinier and silver has a duller, gray appearance.
What is the best thing to scrap for money?
What Are The Most Valuable Things To Scrap?1) Aluminum. One of the most profitable items to scrap this year is aluminum. ... 2) Copper. Copper is one of the most valuable things to scrap that you can easily find around your home. ... 3) Brass. ... 4) Lead. ... 5) Stainless Steel. ... 6) Platinum Jewelry. ... 7) Used Appliances. ... 8) Old Tools.More items...•
How much platinum is in a catalytic converter?
between 3-7 gramsThere are between 3-7 grams of platinum group metals in a standard catalytic converter, but the amount varies based on manufacturer and model. In terms of the extent to which they are used, there are generally around 3 to 7 grams of PGMs in a standard catalytic converter.
How do you harvest platinum?
Most of the mining for platinum ore occurs deep underground. To extract the mineral-rich materials, miners pack explosives into holes drilled in the rock and blast it into smaller pieces. The broken rock is then collected and transported to the surface for processing.
Why is platinum so rare?
The supply for Platinum products is tight, due to the metal being extremely rare. Platinum is mined in very few mining deposits throughout the world and many of the uses of Platinum go to the automotive industry for vehicle emissions devices.
How platinum is formed?
The metal is formed when minerals are eroded from their original spot and then carried by water somewhere else (this is called stream bed mining or alluvial mining). Workers sift through the sand or mud looking for gold, diamonds or platinum. Nowadays, platinum is more likely to be mined as ore from deep underground.
How do you get platinum out of rocks?
Modern Platinum Mining Techniques. Most of the mining for platinum ore occurs deep underground. To extract the mineral-rich materials, miners pack explosives into holes drilled in the rock and blast it into smaller pieces. The broken rock is then collected and transported to the surface for processing.
How much is raw platinum worth?
MONEX Live Platinum Spot PricesPlatinum Spot PricesTodayChangePlatinum Prices Per Ounce$913.00+5.00Platinum Prices Per Gram$29.35+0.16Platinum Prices Per Kilo$29,352.95+160.75
What percentage of platinum is in jewelry?
All platinum jewelry that contains over 50 percent platinum is labeled. The higher percentage of platinum in the jewelry, the more it’s worth. [1] If a piece of jewelry is labeled “platinum,” that means it’s made of over 95 percent platinum. Collect catalytic converters if you have access to junk cars.
What to do with old catalytic converters?
If you have access to old cars, remove their catalytic converters for their scrap platinum .
How to sell platinum jewelry?
Sell your platinum jewelry to a jewelry dealer. Search for reputable dealers in your area and visit one to get your platinum jewelry appraised. Remember that most jewelry dealers are trying to make a profit by reselling the jewelry they buy. While it’s convenient, you may get less for your platinum than if you were to sell it directly to the public.
How to test if a thermocouple is platinum?
If you run a business that uses thermocouple wiring, start saving the used wiring instead of tossing it when you replace it. To test if your thermocouple wiring contains platinum, heat it up until it's red hot. Let it cool down and then check to see if the wiring has changed color.
How to find scrap platinum crucibles?
Find scrap platinum crucibles if you have access to old lab equipment. Crucibles made of platinum are used by labs to contain high-temperature chemical reactions. If you have a stash of old lab equipment or know of anyone who's getting rid of theirs, search through it for any platinum crucibles that might be in there.
What is platinum used for?
Platinum is a rare, valuable metal that's used in things like jewelry, electronics, automobiles, and machinery. Because platinum is so rare, many people are willing to pay for old scrap platinum so they can recycle and reuse it. Finding scrap platinum to sell isn't easy, but if you know what you're looking for, ...
How to tell if a jewelry box has platinum?
Look on the jewelry for something that says “platinum,” “plat,” or “pt.”. All platinum jewelry that contains over 50 percent platinum is labeled.
Where can you find platinum?
Geologically the platinum is generally found deep underground, mostly in nuggets or grains and is usually alloyed with other metals, such as gold, nickel and copper ores or mineral sperrylite. It is rare to find platinum on its own.
What is the narrow reef method?
Earlier mining was done using the narrow reef method. That is basically blasting holes loaded with explosives. Today, four more sophisticated methods are more commonly used. They are underground mining, open pit mining, sift mining from placers deposits or surface deposits and in-situ mining, which involves drilling and pumping.
Where is platinum mined?
Most platinum mining takes place in South Africa, with the Southern Hemisphere nation responsible for 80% of the world's platinum production. The Bushveld region accounts for the majority of South Africa' s output.
Where is chrome mined?
Chrome and Platinum miners in North Eastern part of South Africa drilling holes for rock blasting. . Once mined, the valuable platinum and other metals in the platinum-group, go through a difficult extraction process.
When was platinum first used?
It was not until 1735 that it became known to western scientists.
How much platinum was sold in 2014?
Of the 218 tonnes of platinum sold in 2014, 98 tonnes were used for vehicle emissions control devices (45%), 74.7 tonnes for jewelry (34%), 20.0 tonnes for chemical production and petroleum refining (9.2%), and 5.85 tonnes for electrical applications such as hard disk drives (2.7%). The remaining 28.9 tonnes went to various other minor applications, such as medicine and biomedicine, glassmaking equipment, investment, electrodes, anticancer drugs, oxygen sensors, spark plugs and turbine engines.
What is the most common oxidation state of platinum?
Platinum being dissolved in hot aqua regia. The most common oxidation states of platinum are +2 and +4. The +1 and +3 oxidation states are less common, and are often stabilized by metal bonding in bimetallic (or polymetallic) species.
How is ammonium chloroplatinate converted to platinum?
Ammonium chloroplatinate can be converted to platinum by heating. Unprecipitated hexachloroplatinate (IV) may be reduced with elemental zinc, and a similar method is suitable for small scale recovery of platinum from laboratory residues. Mining and refining platinum has environmental impacts.
What is the value of platinum in 2021?
In early 2021, the value of platinum ranged from US$1,055 per troy ounce to US$1,320 per troy ounce.
How many isotopes does platinum have?
Isotopes. Platinum has six naturally occurring isotopes: 190 Pt, 192 Pt, 194 Pt, 195 Pt, 196 Pt, and 198 Pt. The most abundant of these is 195 Pt, comprising 33.83% of all platinum. It is the only stable isotope with a non-zero spin.
What is the name of the element that is found in the Earth's crust?
Its name is derived from the Spanish term platino, meaning "little silver". Platinum is a member of the platinum group of elements and group 10 of the periodic table of elements. It has six naturally occurring isotopes. It is one of the rarer elements in Earth's crust, with an average abundance of approximately 5 μg /kg.
Where is cooperite found?
Cooperite occurs in the Merensky Reef within the Bushveld complex, Gauteng, South Africa. In 1865, chromites were identified in the Bushveld region of South Africa, followed by the discovery of platinum in 1906.
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What is the natural form of platinum?
Typically platinum is found in its pure native form as platiniridium, which is a natural alloy of platinum and iridium (another precious metal).
Where is platinum mined?
Platinum is mostly mined in South Africa (+70%), followed by Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada, the USA, Australia, and other nations.
How to test platinum?
Send It to Us for Testing. If you have a silver-toned item that could be made of platinum, call us at 800-426-2344 and ask us to test it for you. When you do, ask about shipping costs. Your items could qualify for free or discounted shipping when you send them to us.
Is platinum only found in platinum?
Myth Three: Platinum Is Only Found in Pure Platinum and Platinum-Plated Items. The fact is that over the years, jewelers have applied platinum accents (including filigree and borders) to other jewelry items.
Is platinum brittle?
Myth Four: Platinum Is Brittle. Many people believe that platinum breaks easily when it is bent. Not so. In fact, if you look at a platinum engagement ring, you will notice that little platinum tines have been bent to hold the diamond in place.
Does platinum tarnish?
Platinum doesn’t tarnish as heavily as silver does, but over time its surface does become cloudy and dull. So if you come across an item of white-toned jewelry that has lost its sheen, it could still be made of platinum, not silver. Our advice? Snap it up for a low price and send it to us for testing.
Is platinum jewelry still sold?
It’s true that lots and lots of platinum engagement rings are being sold today. That has led to the mistaken belief that pieces of jewelry made a half century ago are probably not platinum. Not so. Platinum might be a “modern” metal, but has been used to make jewelry – and cigarette cases and other items – for many years.
Is platinum hard or soft?
This misconception could have arisen because people confuse chromium (which is hard) with platinum (which is softer than many people realize). The fact is, the platinum items you find can have scratches, abrasions, and signs of wear. So keep your eyes open and don’t pass these items by.
Why is platinum bullion so valuable?
The Platinum bullion value is high because of its scarcity and its use in industrial applications. Platinum is mined very few places around the world. With mining regulations crippling some parts of the world, Platinum mining remains strong in others. Here are the prime locations where Platinum is mined: South Africa.
Where is platinum mined in Zimbabwe?
There are four main sources where Platinum is mined in Zimbabwe: the Great Dyke, Mimosa, Zimplats and Unki. Zimbabwe remains a hot bed for Platinum mining because of its unique geography and structures that lend themselves to the production of Platinum. ×.
Which country has the highest concentration of platinum?
South Africa. The Bushveld Igneous Complex, located in the Transvaal Province, contains one of the highest concentrations of Platinum. Founded in 1924, this complex has three layers, two of which contain most of the world's Platinum group metals: the Merensky Reef and the Upper Group 2 Reef.
Is platinum mining regulated in South Africa?
Platinum mining is not heavily regulated in South Africa, allowing contracts to enter South Africa with little to no interference. Platinum was mined in Russia as far back as the early 19th century. Today, it remains one of the hot spots for Platinum mining.
What happens if you put platinum in acid?
Watch for the acid to react with the metal on the stone. If the metal dissolves immediately in the acid, it is not platinum. Platinum will retain the same color and brightness underneath platinum testing acid.
How to test platinum?
Wear latex or vinyl gloves and drop the platinum testing acid on the stone. Always protect your skin while handling acid by wearing gloves. Use the dropper in the bottle of acid to place one or two drops onto the scratch mark you put on the stone.
How to tell if a piece is platinum?
1. Look for an inscription that says "platinum" on the item. Pure platinum jewelry and jewelry that is at least 50% platinum should be marked with a stamp, also known as a hallmark. If your piece is marked with the word "platinum," it is at least 95% pure.
What is platinum like?
Platinum is a precious metal that looks like silver or white gold to the untrained eye. But platinum has many characteristics that make it unique. It is harder than other precious metals, so it resists scratches. It also doesn't tarnish and is denser than other precious metals.
What is an acid scratch test kit?
Acid scratch test kits come with a scratch stone and bottles of different kinds of acid. Many scratch kits come with tests for several different kinds of metals. This could be useful if you discover your piece is not platinum and you want to find out what kind of metal it is.
Who is Kennon Young?
Master Gemologist Appraiser. Kennon Young is a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Graduate Gemologist, an American Society of Appraisers (ASA) Master Gemologist Appraiser, and a Jewelers of America (JA) Certified Bench Jeweler Technician.
How to prevent spills in acid?
Put the cap back on the acid immediately after using it, make sure the cap is tight, and put it back in the kit to prevent spills or accidents.
Overview
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish platina, a diminutive of plata "silver".
Platinum is a member of the platinum group of elements and group 10 of the periodic table of elements. It has six naturally occurring isotopes. It is one of the rarer …
Characteristics
Pure platinum is a lustrous, ductile, and malleable, silver-white metal. Platinum is more ductile than gold, silver or copper, thus being the most ductile of pure metals, but it is less malleable than gold.
Its physical characteristics and chemical stability make it useful for industrial applications. Its resistance to wear and tarnish is well suited to use in fine jewe…
Compounds
Hexachloroplatinic acid mentioned above is probably the most important platinum compound, as it serves as the precursor for many other platinum compounds. By itself, it has various applications in photography, zinc etchings, indelible ink, plating, mirrors, porcelain coloring, and as a catalyst.
Treatment of hexachloroplatinic acid with an ammonium salt, such as ammoni…
History
Archaeologists have discovered traces of platinum in the gold used in ancient Egyptian burials as early as 1200 BC. For example, a small box from burial of Shepenupet II was found to be decorated with gold-platinum hieroglyphics. However, the extent of early Egyptians' knowledge of the metal is unclear. It is quite possible they did not recognize there was platinum in their gold.
Production
Platinum, along with the rest of the platinum-group metals, is obtained commercially as a by-product from nickel and copper mining and processing. During electrorefining of copper, noble metals such as silver, gold and the platinum-group metals as well as selenium and tellurium settle to the bottom of the cell as "anode mud", which forms the starting point for the extraction of th…
Applications
Of the 218 tonnes of platinum sold in 2014, 98 tonnes were used for vehicle emissions control devices (45%), 74.7 tonnes for jewelry (34%), 20.0 tonnes for chemical production and petroleum refining (9.2%), and 5.85 tonnes for electrical applications such as hard disk drives (2.7%). The remaining 28.9 tonnes went to various other minor applications, such as medicine and biome…
Health problems
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, short-term exposure to platinum salts may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, and long-term exposure may cause both respiratory and skin allergies. The current OSHA standard is 2 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an 8-hour work shift. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has set a recommended exposure limit (REL) for platinum as 1 mg/m over an 8-hour workday.
See also
• Chelated platinum
• Iron–platinum nanoparticle
• List of countries by platinum production
• Mixed metal oxide electrode