Some Important Precious Metals
Posted on March 25, 2011 by Jacob Watson
A metal that occurs very rarely in nature and also has a great deal of value in the economic world can be called a precious metal. These have been mostly used as currency in the past, but nowadays they also form a good investment. They include gold, platinum, silver and palladium.
When large quantities of their ores are discovered, then they temporarily dip in their monetary value. The demand for the precious metal will control its value in the market. The precious metals in bulk form are also termed as bullion and these can be traded in financial markets. It is mainly the purity of the metal that is the deciding factor in its market value.
Ag is the chemical name given to the precious metal silver and is also known as Argentum, which means shining grey. Silver is shiny and soft to the touch and is a great conductor of heat and electricity. It occurs in nature mixed with gold and other metals and one can also obtain it as argentite and chlorargyrite. Silver has been traditionally used in utensils, valuable tableware, ornaments and various forms of jewelry as well as in coins. Industrially, it is used in mirrors, in catalysis and conductors. Silver has many compounds and these can be used in photographic films and also for the purpose of disinfecting.
Pd is the chemical name for the precious metal palladium which is also silvery white in appearance. It is part of the platinum family of metals and has some very special characteristics in the form of low density and melting point. Hence, it is industrially used in the process of catalytic converters which do the task of removing the toxicity from exhaust gases of automobiles and change them into non-toxic ones. You can also find the precious metal palladium used in computers, mobile phones, ceramic capacitors and in electrical circuits. It can be seen in the medical industry and is used in dentistry too.
Palladium is a very rare metal and the few large ores have been found in Transvaal in South Africa, Ontario in Canada, Russia and in Montana in the US. You can also recover the precious metal palladium from any converters that have been thrown away as scrap. It is used in a great range of applications and is also very rare, hence it is drawing great attention as a good investment.
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