About Platinum Group Metals(PGMs)
Platinum Group Metals known as PGM group metals are rarely found materials with unique properties. They are also known as platinoids, platinides, platidises, noble metals and some other names.
They are a are a family of identical chemical and structural properties. Many times multiple metals of these groups are found in same ores.
These metals are very useful for their wide range of industrial, medical and electronic applications.
We often come across with alloys or compounds of these metals in our routine life.
All the PGM Metals have some amazing common properties like highly resitant to wear and tear, resistant to chemical effects, corrosion resistant, high melting and boiling temperatures, mechanically strong, catalyc properties, high density etc.
Platinum Group Metals (PGM) includes 6 precious metals which are Platinum(Pt), Palladium(pd), Rhodium(Rh), Iridium(Ir), Rutheneum(Ru) and Osmium(Os).
Platinum
Platinum is the most famous material among its group. It is famous for it's variety of industrial usages. It is widely used in process industries for it's catalic characteristics. It is also used in medical science and jewellery industries. Platinum ore is mostly found as platinum arsenide(PtAs2).
Palladium
Palladium also has great catalic properties which enables it as subsitute of Platinum in many applications. It's great ability for absorbing hydrogen makes it most suitable as catalyst in process industries especially petrochemicals. Palladium's most common ore is in sulphide minerals (pyrrhotite).
Rhodium
Rhodium is mainly used in glass industries and emission control systems in vehicles. It is also widely used in jewellery industries for plating on gold or Platinum. Rhodium is also a very good catalyst. Rhodium is found mixed with other metal ores like palladium, silver, platinum and gold.
Iridium
Iridium(alloy) is used in long life products like aircraft engine parts, deep water pipes and high temperature crucibles. It's compounds are also used in many industries. Iridium has very high dence metal and also has catalic properties. It is found in natural form or combined with osmium, nickel and copper.
Ruthenium
Ruthenium finds its place in electrical and electrochemical industries for its conductive properties and durability. It is also used as catalyst in ammonia and acetic acid production. It is also used in solar cells and jewellery industries. It is found in ores with other Platinum Group metals.
Osmium
Osmium is widely used in fuel cells, forensic science, production of alloys for fountain pen tips, instrument pivots, needles and electrical contacts. It is also used in the chemical industry as a catalyst. Osmium is the densest of all the elements. It is obtained as by product from nickel and copper processing.
Production of PGMs
Platinum group metals are rarely found material on the earth. The production of these metals are very less compared to gold and silver. PGM elements are mostly found in Mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. Sometimes PGM elements are also deposited in granites. But granites have low traces of the noble metals as compared to Mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks. Geographically PGM ores are mostly found in South Africa, Russia, North America and Zimbabwe.
Platinum Group metal production or extraction processes are very expensive in terms of economy as well as environement. It required hi-tech machineries and abundance of energy for processing.