80% of the world’s current production comes from South Africa and the Sudbury Basin of Canada. Smaller reserves can be found in the United States, Zimbabwe and Australia. Platinum is also attained through recycling.

What are 3 uses for platinum?

Platinum is commonly known for being used in the manufacturing of jewellery but its main applications spread to catalytic converters, electrical contacts, pacemakers, drugs and magnets.

How can you tell if it’s platinum?

Find any marks indicating platinum jewelry. Look for the words “Platinum,” “PLAT,” or “PT” followed or preceded by the numbers “950” or “999.” These numbers refer to the purity of the platinum, with “999” as the most pure. For example, an authentic piece of platinum jewelry might have a stamp reading “PLAT999.”

Is there platinum in old TVs?

There also happen to be precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, tin and zinc in those old sets. Especially obnoxious are those old CRT TVs that contain an average of six pounds of lead. Consumer electronics contain metal, plastic and glass that can be used in new products.

What kind of minerals are found in platinum?

It is always associated with small amounts of other element s such as iron, gold, copper, and nickel, and may also contain the rare metals iridium, osmium, rhodium, and palladium. These impurities can lower its specific gravity to as much as 14, whereas pure elemental platinum is 21.4.

What can platinum be used for in science?

Platinum also sees high volumes of use in the scientific industry. Platinum has a high melting point and resists corrosion, which makes it ideal for creating labware and facilitating scientific experiments. Platinum is also added as a protective coating to devices, such as missiles and fuel nozzles,…

What are the physical properties of platinum metal?

Properties of Platinum. Physically, platinum is a soft, lustrous, silver-colored metal. It is highly dense (21.5 g/cc), malleable and ductile (there is an ongoing debate if it is the most ductile).

Where can you find platinum in the world?

Its rarity therefore makes platinum to fall into the category of precious or expensive metal. Platinum metals can be obtained through nickel and copper mining and extraction. This element is usually found at the bottom of nickel or copper cell. Most of platinum deposits are located in Russia, North America and Southern Africa.