Probably the first association with the word "platinum" will be something like a platinum engagement ring, or any expensive diamond jewelry. As a last resort, a platinum commemorative coin, or an investment deposit. However, in real life the situation is different. So, platinum is one of those precious metals, whose use in industry is more common than the use for jewelry purposes.

Based on USGS 2012 data

Platinum automotive catalysts

As can be seen from the diagram above, platinum is currently mainly used in automotive catalysts. Due to its unique catalytic properties, platinum (as well as rhodium) is used to clean car exhaust gases from harmful substances.

The catalyst is a cylinder with a circular or elliptical cross section, inside which are metal or ceramic honeycombs coated with a solution of chemicals and platinum group metals. The honeycomb structure is used to increase the contact area of ​​the exhaust gases with the reaction surface. The catalyst is installed inside a stainless steel container - this whole assembly is called a car catalyst, and is installed on the car between the engine and the muffler.

Vehicle exhaust gases contain a significant number of harmful compounds that can be converted by a catalyst into relatively safe ones. The main exhaust pollutants are:

carbon monoxide (CO), which is a poisonous gas

nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to the formation of acid rain, destroy ozone, form smog and cause breathing problems

hydrocarbons (HC) that form smog and have an unpleasant odor

- particles that carry carcinogenic compounds.

Automotive catalysts convert over 90% of the harmful compounds in gasoline engine exhaust into harmless carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2) and water vapor (H2O). Also, autocatalysts convert more than 90% of diesel engine emissions in the form of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulate matter into carbon dioxide and water vapour.

For the first time at the legislative level, the mandatory use of catalysts for car manufacturers was introduced in 1975 in the USA and Japan. They were followed by other countries with a developed automotive market - South Korea (1987), Mexico (1989), European Union member states (1993), Brazil (1994), Russia (1999) and China and India (2000). In Russia it is used European standard Euro, from January 1, 2013, all new cars must comply with the Euro-4 standard. In Europe itself, the Euro-5 standard is currently in force, the transition to Euro-6 is scheduled for 2015.

It is clear that the use of platinum and platinum group metals as a component of automotive catalysts will only increase in the near future as pollutant emission standards continue to tighten.

Platinum Jewelry

In most countries where jewelry is made, platinum alloys with a pure metal content of at least 85% are used. Other platinum group metals such as palladium, ruthenium and iridium, as well as copper and cobalt, are added to platinum to improve its machinability and wear resistance.

The main advantage of platinum as a jewelry material is its strength, as well as the stability of luster and color. It can be repeatedly heated and cooled without losing its properties and without showing signs of oxidation. Even the thinnest sections of a piece of platinum do not change their size, which allows designers to securely set diamonds or other stones. This gives jewelers considerable creative freedom, sometimes not available with other materials.

Perhaps the best example of the virtuoso technique of using the properties of platinum are products where gems are held in place only by the tension of the ring.

The jewelry history of platinum is not so great

The Indian civilizations of South America began to use platinum for making jewelry about 2000 years ago, using nuggets found in riverbeds. However, on other continents, platinum was not known for a long time (or rather, it was not noticed, mistaking it for the “wrong” silver) and it began to be used in jewelry relatively recently.

The modern tradition of platinum jewelry originates from the European court jewelers of the 18th century and develops in the work of eminent Edwardian and Art Deco jewelers such as Cartier and Tiffany . After Europe in the 20s of the 20th century, the boom in jewelry came to the United States. But with the onset of the Great Depression, and then the Second World War, when platinum became a war-controlled material, jewelers' interest in it faded.

Demand for platinum began to revive in Japan in the 1960s. Platinum has received a special status in Japan, combining high purity, prestige and value with traditional Japanese modesty and chastity, which are denoted in Japan by white - the color of platinum. Japan quickly became the world's main market for platinum jewelry.

In Europe, the platinum renaissance began in Germany in the 1970s, where jewelers gave platinum pieces their own identity, using completely new designs and high gloss finishes. Demand for platinum items began to rise in Italy in the 1980s and in Switzerland, the US and the UK in the 1990s. By 1995, the demand for platinum in China had grown significantly, especially among young urban women who were suited to the new modern style platinum jewelry. China currently consumes up to 70% of all platinum used in jewelry making and is also the largest market for platinum jewelry. Also, in the last decade there has been a significant increase in interest in platinum in the Indian market, which has significant potential for growth.

Investment in platinum

Platinum and palladium are tangible assets that have a special set of physical and chemical properties - they are not subject to the influence of time. Just like gold and silver, platinum and palladium are accepted as a universal medium of exchange due to the international standardization of their form and purity. Platinum can be bought as a physical material (bars, coins), and in an impersonal form - special metal bank accounts. Various exchange-traded instruments (ETFs) linked to platinum quotes on the market are also gaining popularity.

In 2012, more than 14 tons of platinum and the same amount of palladium were purchased for investment purposes worldwide.

Platinum in the chemical and oil refining industry

Platinum group metals are used in the chemical industry as catalysts to increase the efficiency of reactions.

Platinum is widely used as a catalyst in the production of nitric acid, which is the raw material for the production of nitrogen fertilizers and other substances.

Also, platinum catalysts are used in the production of various silicones. The addition of platinum to the silicone mixture catalyzes the “crosslinking” of the silicone structures, making it possible to obtain a material with desired properties. Silicone is very durable material with excellent resistance to chemical corrosion, heat and temperature extremes. Silicones are also very flexible, waterproof and electrically insulating materials. The range of their application is extremely wide - from aircraft engine parts to medical and cosmetic materials. Obviously, in the future, silicones will be used more and more, and, accordingly, the demand for platinum in this industry will increase.

Platinum catalysts are used in refineries to produce gasoline and petrochemical feedstocks, which are the basis for the production of plastics, synthetic rubber and polyester fibers. Oil supplied to refineries is a mixture of hydrocarbons, which belong to the heavy and light fractions. The ratio of fractions depends on the region of production, but in general there are more heavy fractions, while a light fraction is used to obtain gasoline and high-quality raw materials for further processing. Therefore, one of the main tasks of the plants is the conversion of heavy fractions into light ones. This is achieved through a complex multi-stage oil distillation process.

Platinum is involved in distillation steps such as reforming and isomerization, which result in high-octane components for gasoline. For reforming and isomerization catalysts are used in the form of balls or granules of aluminum oxide coated with platinum. The weight of pure platinum is not more than 0.6% of the weight of the catalyst. In most modern factories, platinum is combined with tin or rhenium to increase productivity. Platinum is the key to oil refining; without it, this process would be ineffective.

In the beginning, oil refining was one of the main areas of industrial consumption of platinum. But the improvement of technologies and the catalysts themselves have led to the fact that less and less platinum is consumed, despite the growing number of oil refining capacities. The volume of consumption of platinum for this area of ​​the industry does not experience drastic changes.

Other uses of platinum

Platinum Glass Making Equipment

Platinum equipment is used in production various types glass because it withstands the temperatures used in glass making (up to 1700°C) and the abrasive action of molten glass. Platinum equipment does not react with molten glass, does not oxidize or deform when high temperatures Oh.

Platinum in medicine

In certain chemical forms, platinum can inhibit the division of living cells. This property is used in medicines that help treat cancer - carboplatin, cisplatin, oxaliplatin.

The inertness of platinum to any compounds, its electrical conductivity and non-allergenicity make it possible to actively use it in biomedicine as a component of electrical stimulators, catheters and other medical equipment.

Platinum gauges and spark plugs

Platinum is a component of sensors used in various industries. The most widely known is the oxygen or "lambda" sensor, which provides the correct proportions of mixing air and fuel in the cylinders of car engines. Platinum is also used in automotive mass air flow sensors, climate control systems and airbags.

In addition, automotive and aircraft engines use spark plugs whose electrodes are coated with platinum and iridium to increase the life of the spark plug.

Fuel cells are the future of platinum

In the future, consumption of platinum may increase with the start of mass production of fuel cells, where it is part of the most important component - the membrane. Fuel cells are a potential alternative to internal combustion engines, with higher efficiency and zero emissions.

Platinum in the aircraft industry

Platinum is used to coat turbine blades in gas (jet) engines, to increase their durability in an aggressive gas environment.

Due to the heat resistance and chemical resistance of platinum, platinum glassware is used in laboratories for particularly precise and demanding measurements.

Light silvery shade, shiny and does not tarnish when exposed to air. In addition, platinum is a very refractory, durable and at the same time malleable metal, however, this is common to many platinoids. Platinum is a rather rare and valuable metal, found in the earth's crust much less frequently than, for example, gold or silver. By the way, it got its name thanks to the latter. In Spanish, "plata" is silver, and "platina" is similar to silver.

The date of discovery of platinum is not exactly known, as it was discovered by the Incas in South America. In Europe, the first mention of platinum (as an unknown metal that cannot be melted - since its melting point is almost 1770 degrees Celsius) appears in the 16th century thanks to the conquests of the Spanish conquistadors. However, regular deliveries of platinum to Western Europe from South America improved only in the XVII-XVIII centuries. Officially, among European scientists, it began to be considered a new metal only in 1789, after the publication by the French chemist Lavoisier of his List of Simple Substances.

Pure, without foreign impurities, platinum was extracted from platinum ore as early as 1803 by the British scientist William Wollaston. At the same time, he simultaneously discovered two more platinoids (platinum group metals) from the same ore - palladium and rhodium. Interestingly, at the same time, Wollaston was originally a doctor who became interested in the production of medical utensils and instruments from platinum - because of its bactericidal properties and incredible resistance to oxidizing agents. It was he who first discovered that the only substances that can act on platinum in natural conditions are “aqua regia” (a mixture of concentrated hydrochloric and sulfuric, or nitric acid), as well as liquid bromine.

Deposit and mining of platinum.

First platinum deposit discovered many centuries ago by the Inca tribes in South America, and until the 19th century it was the only known source of platinum in the world. In 1819, platinum was discovered in the Russian Empire, in what is now the Krasnoyarsk Territory in Siberia. For a long time, this noble metal was not identified and was referred to as " White gold or simply "new Siberian metal". Full-fledged mining of platinum in Russia began already by the end of the first half of the 19th century - with the invention by Russian scientists of that time of a new technique for forging platinum in a hot state.

In our time, South American deposits in the Andes have begun to deplete and the main promising areas platinum mining located on the territory of only five states:

• Russia (Urals and Siberia);
• China;
• Zimbabwe.

In the 19th and at the very beginning of the 20th century, the Russian Empire became the main supplier of platinum to the world market - from 90 to 95 percent of all supplies of platinum. This continued until this noble metal was overvalued and acquired strategic importance. However, although this happened in the second half of the 19th century (then all issued platinum coins in Russia were withdrawn from circulation during the reign of Paul I and Nicholas I), platinum supplies to Europe continued under Alexander II. Already at the time Soviet Union all data on platinum mining were strictly classified, and remain so to this day - already in the Russian Federation. Therefore, the rating of Russia as the 3rd or 4th country according to platinum mining in the world, is very conditional. And no one knows even approximately how much platinum is stored in the strategic reserves of the Russian Federation.

On the this moment it is only known for certain that the leader in platinum mining in Russia is the state-owned company Norilsk Nickel. The officially published production of this metal in the 2000s averaged about 20-25 tons of platinum per year. At the same time, South Africa supplies international market about 150 tons per year. Already in our time, a new platinum deposit was discovered in the Khabarovsk Territory (a rather large deposit), but its official production is only 3 to 4 tons per year.

Currently discovered deposits platinum in the world suggest a potential production of about 80 thousand tons of this metal. Most of them are located in South Africa (more than 87 percent). In Russia - more than 8%. And in the States - up to 3%. Again, this is official published data. Do not forget that not every country wants to disclose the contents of its strategic storage of precious metals and mining potential.

Application of platinum.

Platinum, like most platinoids, has the same uses:

• jewelry industry;
• dentistry;
• chemical industry (due to catalytic properties);
• electronics and electrical engineering;
• medicine (dishes and tools);
• pharmaceuticals (drugs, mainly oncological);
• astronautics (almost eternal soldering of platinum contacts does not require repair);
• production of lasers (platinum is part of most mirror elements);
• electroplating (for example, non-corrosive parts of submarines);
• production of thermometers.

Prices and dynamics of prices for platinum.

Initially platinum price(when it was brought to Europe in the 17th century) was very low. Despite the beauty of the new metal, it could not be melted down and used properly anywhere. At the beginning of the 18th century, when technology allowed it to be melted, counterfeiters began to use platinum to counterfeit gold Spanish reals. Then the Spanish king seized almost all of the platinum and solemnly flooded it in the Mediterranean Sea, and prohibited further deliveries.

All this time platinum price did not exceed half the price of silver.

With the development of new technologies at the beginning of the 19th century and with the isolation of pure platinum by Wollaston, platinum began to be used in various industries, and its price reached that of gold.

In the twentieth century, after realizing the advantages of platinum in physical and chemical properties compared to gold, its price continued to rise. Demand for platinum as a high-quality chemical catalyst increased in the 1970s, when the world boom in the automotive industry began. This noble metal was used to purify exhaust gases (usually in an alloy with other platinoids). It was then that chemists discovered that in a finely dispersed state (i.e., atomized form), platinum actively interacts with the hydrogen component (CH) of the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines.

The financial downturns and crises of the 2000s and 2010s affected demand and platinum price dynamics. During this period (especially in the 2000s), platinum prices fell below a thousand dollars (almost $900) per troy ounce of the precious metal. In the last 10 years, the price of an ounce of platinum below $1,000 has been considered unprofitable. Therefore, it is not surprising that some of the mining (mainly South African) enterprises that mine platinum have closed. Because of this, there was a certain shortage of "white gold" in the supply-demand ratio of platinum in the 2010s, and its price jumped again. However, the decline in Chinese car production in 2014-2015 caused a new decline in platinum prices.

The average price per ounce of platinum in the first half of 2015 was around $1,100. However, experts have their platinum price forecast. According to them, in 2016 the level of the world economy will grow, and China will resume large-scale automobile production, and the price per troy ounce of platinum will exceed at least $1,300, and another platinum metal - palladium - will cost more than $850 per troy ounce.

Moreover, the fact that the Russian Federation still keeps a secret platinum reserves, means that this metal has growth prospects, and, therefore, deserves attention for long-term investment (or, at least, maintaining its financial resources).

Among all noble metals, platinum occupies a special place and its value is higher in comparison with gold and silver. The fact is that the extraction of this substance is a rather laborious process, and it is not common. The higher cost of Platinum is at least due to the fact that about 10 tons of rock have to be processed to obtain one ounce. In turn, to create a similar amount of gold, about 3 tons of ore is spent.

History of metal

Even before our era, people knew about the metal platinum, for example, the ancient Egyptians used it to make jewelry. It was widely used by the Indians of the Inca tribe, but was gradually forgotten. recent history mining and processing of platinum originates in the period of the development of America by the Spanish conquistadors.

However, at first, due attention was not paid to the metal, as evidenced even by its name - in Spanish, the word means “little silver”. Often it was considered unripe gold at all and was thrown away. It's a pretty tough metal., possessing high rate density, which significantly complicates its processing.

Among the properties of the metal, it is worth noting the most unique:

• When heated to temperatures below 200 degrees, it is not subject to oxidation and does not enter into chemical interaction with other substances.
• Indicators of hardness and density are higher in comparison with gold and even more so with silver.
• Differs in high plasticity and well gives in to forging.
• It has excellent electrical conductivity.
• Does not interact with acids, except aqua regia.
• It has a high melting point of 1768.3 degrees.

The metal in its pure form is practically not found in nature, and if we talk about what platinum consists of, then most often it is alloys with rhodium, palladium, iron, iridium and some other substances.

The rate of oxidation depends on the pressure of oxygen and the rate of its supply to the metal surface. Since most often it is mined in the form of alloys, the presence of other substances in them slows down this process.

The most common oxides are:

The specific resistance of platinum is relatively small, but in terms of electrical conductivity, it is inferior to aluminum, silver, and copper. At the same time, during heating, the resistivity index increases, and the conductivity decreases accordingly. Scientists explain this fact by the fact that with an increase in temperature, the particles that make up platinum begin to move randomly and, as a result, the passage of current is difficult.

The industry actively uses the ability of platinum to accelerate various chemical reactions, which makes it an excellent catalyst.

Application area

In medicine, metal compounds, mainly amminoplastinates, are used in the treatment various forms oncological diseases. Cisplastin was the first such drug, but oxaliplatin and carboplatin are currently the most popular. The use of metal in technology is much wider. If we talk about where platinum is contained, the main directions can be noted:

From about the middle of the XVIII century in Russia, platinum performed a monetary function. Exactly in Russian Empire the first platinum coins were minted, but it happened in 1828. Currently, some states continue to mint coins of various denominations, but they are most often used for investment. It should also be said about the jewelry industry, which annually consumes about 50 tons of metal. Platinum jewelry is most popular in Japan.

Platinum is a precious metal that has a number of unique properties.

Translated from Spanish, the word "fee" means small silver. This metal got its name because of its grayish-white hue.

Platinum has a high density, making it one of the heaviest precious metals. A product made of platinum weighs twice as much as silver. A platinum cube with an edge length of 300 mm would have a weight equal to 0.5 tons.

Platinum is a fairly ductile material. From a small piece of platinum, weighing only 30g, you can get a very thin wire, which could be used to connect the German city of Cologne and the Russian capital Moscow.

Platinum is a noble metal that does not oxidize or corrode. Platinum has one more good quality- this is the hardness that gives platinum products resistance to abrasion. It is resistant to acids and high temperatures. It has a melting point of 18430C.

Platinum compounds in nature

There is little platinum in the earth's crust. In its pure form, platinum is quite rare. Most often it is found in conjunction with rare metals such as iridium. Other metals belonging to the platinum group (ruthenium, osmium and rhodium) can be found in small concentrations. There is also platinum in the form of compounds with copper, iron, chromium and nickel, as well as silver.

Platinum in the ore is represented by small grains or inclusions. Especially large nuggets have not been found in nature.

Scope and history of development of platinum

The first deposits of platinum were found in South America in the 18th century.

For a long time, platinum did not arouse interest among Europeans. Its price was low.

Later, knowing unique properties platinum, people began to use it more often. All this led to an increase in prices for the precious metal.

In the earth's crust, platinum is found in small quantities. Therefore, its price is high. So a platinum cube with a 300mm edge length has a market value of $2.0 million.

Platinum in the jewelry industry

Among jewelers, platinum is rightfully considered the queen of precious metals.

Today, platinum jewelry is a symbol of confidence and solidity.

Today, platinum is used both as a piece of jewelry and as a reliable investment project.

The high strength of the metal increases the demand for its production. Wedding rings platinum is the most sought-after piece of jewelry. They don't wear out. Their prolonged wearing rarely causes an allergic reaction.

The cost of a gram of platinum ranges from 3.5 to 4.5 thousand rubles.

Along with the jewelry area, platinum is indispensable in the production of high-precision electronic equipment and equipment used in scientific research. Platinum is indispensable in instruments designed for precise measurements.

Platinum (from Spanish Plata - silver in a diminutive form) is a noble (precious) metal from the class of native elements. The name was given in the 16th century, when the metal was first found in South America, due to similar features to silver. Denoted by the chemical formula Pt.

Shiny metallic. Hardness 5. Color silver white, steel grey. The line is silver-white, metallically shiny. Specific gravity 21.45 g/cm 3 . Cleavage is absent. Fine dissemination in dark-colored (ultrabasic and basic) igneous rocks and grains, flakes, large nuggets in placers. In 1843, a large platinum nugget weighing 9.44 kg was found in placers in the Urals.

Crystals are extremely rare. Syngony is cubic. Forged and ductile. From platinum, it is possible to draw a wire with a diameter of up to 0.015 mm and forge sheets with a thickness of 0.0025 mm.

Rare Platinum Crystals Native Platinum Small Nugget

Features. Native platinum is distinguished by a permanent metallic luster, medium hardness, silver-white, steel-gray color, silver-white, metallic luster. Platinum differs from silver in a duller luster. Unlike native silver, platinum dissolves only in heated aqua regia. Platinum is similar to molybdenum, antimony and lead luster. The difference is that the first two minerals are soft, the lead sheen has perfect cleavage along the edges of the cube.

Chemical properties. Dissolves only in heated aqua regia. In terms of its low activity, it is second only to gold. Below is a good educational video about this beautiful precious metal.

Variety: Ferrous platinum(ferro-platinum) - dark color, magnetic.

Origin

Magmatic - is released during the crystallization of ultrabasic and basic magmas.

Deposits of native platinum are associated with ultrabasic (dunites, peridotites, pyroxenites) and basic (gabbro, diabase) igneous rocks and with serpentinites (serpentines) formed from them. Alluvial deposits resulting from the surface destruction of primary deposits are of especially great industrial importance.

Native platinum is found in chromites, in serpentinites (serpentines), in dunites, in peridotites, in pyroxenites, in gabbro and in diabases; in addition, in placers, as well as in compounds with nickel and gold.

satellites. In ultrabasic and basic igneous rocks: chromite, olivine, serpentine, chrysotile-asbestos, rhombic pyroxenes, magnetite. In diabases: chalcopyrite. In placers: magnetite, chromite, gold, diamond, corundum.

Application of platinum

Platinum is used in electronics, nuclear technology, rocket science, electrical (alloys with other metals), glass, and textile industries. It is used for the manufacture of chemical utensils (boilers, retorts and devices for the production of strong acids and gases), as a catalyst in the production of nitric and sulfuric acids, hydrogen peroxide, high-octane gasoline, some vitamins, for the manufacture of thermoelements, standards (the kilogram standard is made of platinum alloy and iridium); platinum salts are used in X-ray technology and in chemistry. Platinum electrodes are used in medicine to diagnose heart disease. It is also used to make various jewelry, (dentures, syringes, needles and other surgical instruments).

Place of Birth

There is native platinum in chromites, in serpentenites, in dunites, peridotites, in pyroxenites, in gabbro and in diabases, in addition, in placers. Platinum is mined from ore when its content in the rock is from 0.0005% and above.

Deposits of native platinum are confined to the Ural Range (Nizhny Tagil). Grains of platinum were found in the valley of the river. Tanalyk and in the Guberlinsky mountains of the Orenburg region. The world's largest placer deposit of platinum (the Kondyor mine) is located in the Khabarovsk Territory. Considerable reserves precious metal in Russia are located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, near Norilsk: Oktyabrskoye, Talnakhskoye and Norilsk-1.

The largest deposits of platinum are located in South Africa (pre-Paleozoic ultramafic rocks of the Bushveld complex), Canada (Sudbury), USA (Wyoming, Nevada, California) and Colombia (Andagoda, Quibdo, Kondoto-Iro, Opogodo, Tamana). There are deposits in Alaska, New Zealand, Norway.