METALS

Platinum (Pt), chemical element, is a very heavy, precious, silver-white metal, soft and ductile and has a high melting point and good resistance to corrosion and chemical attack. It is among the world’s scarcest metals and is used primarily in the production of automotive catalytic converters, in petroleum refineries and in the chemical and electrical industry.

Platinum and its alloys are indispensable in the chemical laboratory for electrodes and for crucibles and dishes in which materials can be heated to high temperatures. South Africa accounts for 80% of the production followed by Russia and North America.