Introduction 

Platinum is a silvery metallic chemical element, a member of six transition element in group VIII of the periodic table collectively known as the platinum metals (ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium, and platinum)

Platinum has the symbol Pt with atomic number 78 and its atomic weight is 195.09

The name platinum is derived from the Spanish word platina, meaning “silver”.

Platinum is solid at room temperature and is resistant to corrosion and tarnishing even at high temperature. Platinum is also a good catalyst which speeds up the chemical reactions to lower the temperature at which they occur. 

It is one of the rarest elements on earth’s crust, with an average abundance of approximately 5 μg/kg. It occurs in some nickel and copper ores along with some native deposits, mostly in South Africa which accounts for 80% of world  production.

Because of its scarcity on Earth’s crust only a few hundred ton are produced annually, and given its important uses, it is a highly valuable and precious metal after Gold.

Platinum is used in catalytic converters, laboratory equipment, and jewelry. Platinum is used in the glass industry. 

As a heavy metal, when exposed to its salt it leads to health problems.

Occurrence and History of Platinum

Platinum was discovered in South America by  Antonio de Ulloa in 1735 and by N. Wood in 1741, but it had been in use by pre-Columbian Indians. The platinum metals are extremely rare elements; platinum itself is the most common, with an abundance in the Earth’s crust of about a millionth of 1 percent, whereas the others of the group have abundances of about one ten millionth of 1 percent. 

Platinum occurs in nature as the pure metal and also in alloys with other metals of the group, principally in the alluvial deposits of the Ural Mountains, of Columbia, and of some parts of the western United States. In addition the element occurs in the mineral sperrylite and in the nickel bearing deposits of Ontario in Canada. Platinum’s industrial use began to rise during the 19th century, especially with the advent of new technologies that made platinum easier to work with.

Properties of Platinum

Platinum is a rare, dense, and highly valuable metal known for its excellent physical and chemical properties. 

Here are the key properties of platinum in detail:

1.  Physical properties

2.  Chemical properties

Physical properties

Pure platinum is a lustrous, ductile, and malleable silver white metal. Platinum is a very shiny metal. Its shine makes it attractive, for use in jewelry and decorative items.

Density : Platinum is more dense than gold, its density is  21.45 g/cm³. This makes it one of the heaviest metals, contributing to its weight and durability. The density of Gold is 19.3 g/cm cube.

From the above statement it is clear that platinum is more dense than gold. Not only in density platinum was more costly than gold but in the 21st century golf is more popular and precious metal than platinum.

Melting and Boiling Points: Platinum has a high melting point of 1,769 °C (3216 °F), and its boiling point is 3,827 °C (6,920 °F). These high-temperature thresholds make platinum suitable for high-temperature applications, such as catalytic converters and thermocouples.

Conductivity :Platinum has relatively good electrical conductivity, though it is not as high as other metals like copper or silver.

At 20°C, the electrical conductivity of platinum is  9.43×106 S/m. 

There are some factors that affect the platinum’s conductivity that are;

• Cross-sectional area
• Temperature
• Length 

                                 Properties of Element (Platinum)

Chemical properties 

• Chemical Inertness: Platinum is highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation. It does not tarnish or rust, even in the presence of most acids or oxygen. This chemical stability makes platinum ideal for use in environments with harsh conditions, such as catalytic converters, laboratory equipment, and medical implants.
• Platinum is highly resistant towards acids, including hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid. Platinum is one of the few metals that can withstand aqua regia. Platinum is chemically inert and does not oxidize in air at high temperature.

   “Aqua regia :A combination of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid that can dissolve noble metals like gold, platinum, and palladium.” 

• Platinum is a highly reactive catalyst. Catalytic properties used to speed up the chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. It is widely used in catalytic converters in vehicles, where it helps to convert some harmful gases like carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides into less harmful substances.

   “Catalyst: A catalyst is a substance that is used to speed up the chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.”

For example,

 Platinum itself acts as a catalyst, and palladium is also a catalyst. Both of the catalysts are used to speed up the chemical reactions.

Uses of Platinum 

Platinum (Pt) is a highly versatile and valuable metal, known for its excellent physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. As a result, it has a wide range of uses across various industries. Below are the main uses of platinum:

1. Platinum’s beautiful lustrous appearance, rarity, and resistance to tarnishing make it highly desirable for fine jewelry, including engagement rings, wedding bands, necklaces, and bracelets.
2. Americans use more platinum jewelry than white gold. 
3. Platinum is used in computer hard disks, thermocouples, optical fibers, LCDs, and spark plugs.
4. Platinum is used in pacemakers and dental fillings. Platinum compounds are also used in chemotherapy drugs to treat cancers. It is also used in medical instruments and equipment like scalpels and needles. 
5. Because of its high melting point and resistance to oxidation at high temperatures, platinum is used in aerospace applications including components of jet engines and spacecraft.
6. Platinum is used in the manufacturing of laboratory equipment, such as crucibles, electrodes, and apparatus for high-temperature experiments
7. Alloys of platinum with other metals are used to make strong magnets and screens for televisions and computers.

Mining and extraction of platinum

   “The extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals especially gold, copper, zinc, lead  from the surface of the earth by different mining techniques is known as the Mining”

Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be obtained artificially. Metals are used in making many products like jewelry, electronics and steel. There are two types of metals which are used in products:

• Precious metals, gold platinum and silver
• Industrial metals, steel, copper, aluminum, and zinc.

Platinum mining and extraction is a complex process that involves several steps to extract platinum from the ore and refine it into a usable form. Platinum is a precious metal that is primarily found in ores known as platinum-group metals (PGMs), including platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, osmium, and other trace metals. Here’s an overview of the platinum mining and extraction process. Platinum is present in very small quantities in ores, often in combination with other platinum-group-metals (PGM) . Platinum is a precious metal that is primarily found in ores known as platinum-group metals (PGMs), including platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, osmium, and other trace metals. South Africa is the world’s only current primary source of platinum, accounting for over 70% of the world’s platinum supply. Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada, and the United States are also among the top five global miners of platinum. There are two primary methods used for the mining of platinum

Prices of Platinum

Platinum, a precious metal known for its rarity and wide industrial uses always attract investors and professionals alike. Due to its rarity platinum is more expensive than gold. Platinum demand increases the prices, its demand in the automotive industry in latest electric cars as catalytic converters. Additionally, the growing use of platinum in hydrogen fuel cells is expected to drive demand even higher.