Origins of Platinum and Palladium

The word "platinum" was derived from the spanish "platina" or "little silver". The 6 platinum group elements (PGE) are chemically very similar with:

·        Platinum, iridium and osmium are among the most dense known metals.

·        Platinum is 11 per cent denser than gold and about twice the weight of the same volume of silver or lead.

·        Palladium, rhodium and ruthenium are lighter again.

·        Palladium has approaximately the same density as silver.

Platinum and Palladium are extremely rare substances, far less abundant than gold.

Platinum and Palladium are found only in a few commercially viable deposits on the earth. Most platinum and palladium is mined in three major producing regions being areas in:

• South Africa
• Russia
• North America

South Africa is by far the largest producer supplying about two-thirds of the total world production. Russia is the next-largest producer, supplying about one quarter of world production. The rest of the platinum supply comes from North America and a few other small producers.