palladium
At about $2,500 (£1,922) an ounce of palladium is more expensive than gold, and the pressures forcing its price up are unlikely to ease anytime soon. But what is palladium, what is it used for, and why is its price rising?

Which metal is more expensive than gold?

According to chemicals company Johnson Matthey, rhodium was at $7,925/ounce on Tuesday, over five times more costly than gold. South Africa mines 80% of the world’s rhodium, which is mainly a by-product of platinum mining.

What metal is the rarest?

The rarest stable metal is tantalum. The rarest metal on earth is actually francium, but because this unstable element has a half life of a mere 22 minutes, it has no practical use.

Which is more expensive an element or gold?

Almost any element, as a pure separated isotope, is more expensive than gold. Almost any compound consisting only of pure separated isotopes is more expensive than gold.

Why is gold the most popular precious metal?

Gold Because of its desirability, durability and malleability, gold remains one of the most popular metals and investment options.

Which is the most valuable element on Earth?

Gold is one of the most widely known and used elements in the world, especially in jewelry. Almost every ancient civilization on earth considered this metal to be valuable. Science, it also proves that some of the characteristics of gold makes it perfect for electronic use, though high cost is the biggest hurdle to use it in wires.

Are there any metals that are rarer than gold?

After all, there are metals out there even more valuable than gold. Here are a handful that are even rarer! Iridium: Iridium doesn’t share much in common with gold, but all the metals on this list are noble metals – meaning they resist corrosion. Iridium is brittle and shares none of gold’s softness and malleability.