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Platinum Facts and Information Naturally occurring platinum and platinum-rich alloys have been known for hundreds of years. The Spanish called the metal " platina," or little silver, when they first came upon it in Colombia. They looked at platinum as an unwanted impurity in the silver they mined. The six platinum group metals (PGM)– iridium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium have outstanding catalytic properties . Platinum's wear and tarnish resistance characteristics make it well suited for creating fine jewelry. Other properties include resistance to chemical attack, excellent high-temperature characteristics, and stable electrical properties. These properties have been exploited for industrial applications. Platinum, platinum alloys, and iridium are used as crucible materials for the growth of single crystals, especially oxides. The chemical industry uses a significant amount of either platinum or a platinum-rhodium alloy catalyst in the form of gauze to catalyze the partial oxidation of ammonia to yield nitric oxide, which is the raw material for fertilizers, explosives, and nitric acid. In recent years, a number of PGM have become important as catalysts in synthetic organic chemistry. Ruthenium dioxide is used as coatings on dimensionally stable titanium anodes used in the production of chlorine and caustic. Platinum supported catalysts are used in the refining of crude oil, reforming, and other processes used in the production of high-octane gasoline and aromatic compounds for the petrochemical industry. Since 1979, the automotive industry has become the principal consumer of PGM. Palladium, platinum, and rhodium have been used as oxidation catalyst in catalytic converters to treat automobile exhaust emissions. A wide range of PGM alloy compositions is used in low-voltage and low-energy contacts, thick- and thin-film circuits, thermocouples and furnace components, and electrodes. Disclaimer: While Silver-Gold-Prices.com seeks to provide accurate information, it is provided without warranty or claim of reliability. Site visitors must agree that errors or omissions shall not be made the basis for any claim, demand or cause for action. The information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy. We offer information and links for informational purposes only and do not make recommendations regarding the purchase of gold bullion or other precious metals from any particular business or government entity. This site contains information and news from third party business and government web sites as well as links to advertisers. We make no claim of reliablity or accuracy in regard to these web sites.