Platinum

Platinum

Platinum is the 78th element in the periodic table, and is represented by the symbol Pt. Solid formations of platinum are a greyish-white metal. Much like gold, platinum is a precious metal because of its aesthetic and scientific qualities.

Fast Facts

Atomic number: 78
Atomic symbol: Pt
Pure platinum is a greyish-white color
Metal is resistant to heat and corrosion
Metal is an excellent conductor of electricity
Melting point: 1,947.52 degrees Fahrenheit (1,064.18 degrees Celsius)
First used by pre-Columbian natives in South America
First discovered by Europeans: 1557¹
Price (2008): $2,035 per ounce
More than twice as expensive as gold²

Early History

Pre-Columbian South American natives were the first known people to refine and use platinum. It was not until Spanish explorers colonized the New World that platinum became known to the western world. The first documented European record of platinum was written in 1557 by Julius Scaliger.

Categories

Science | Chemistry | Geology | Physics

| View Note History

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Platinum
U.S. Geological Survey: Platinum-Group Metals Statistics and Information
Platinum Metal Reviews: Platinum E-Journal
Elementymology & Elements Multidict: Platinum
Los Alamos National Labs: Platinum
Kitco: 24 Hour Spot Chart - Platinum
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development: Information on Platinum

Platinum Recent News

Google News: Platinum News
Science Daily: Palladium And Platinum An Easier Find With New Detection Method (2007)
BBC News: Green Curbs Hit Platinum Supply (2002)
The New York Times: "Why Platinum is in Such Demand: Its Uses in Various Industries..." (1917)

Platinum History and Background

International Platinum Group Metals Association: Platinum History
Platinum Guild International: Platinum's History
Mindat.org: Platinum
Mineral Information Institute: Platinum Group
Minerals Zone: Platinum

Platinum Uses and Mining

King of Metals: Platinum Information and Uses
Gold-Eagle: Platinum - The Other White Metal
Platinum Group Metals: Platinum Uses
International Platinum Group Metal Association: Mining & Production
Global Infomine: Platinum Mining

Platinum Research

GeoScienceWorld: Platinum Search
Front for the arXiv: Adsorption of CO on a Platinum (111) Surface... (2001)
Nature: Non-Chondritic Platinum-Group Element Ratios... (1996)
Journal of Petrology: Halogen Geochemistry of the Stillwater and Bushveld Complexes.. (1986)

Platinum Education Resources

Jefferson Lab: It's Elemental - Platinum
Palladium Metal of the 21st Century: History of Palladium
Google Books: Chemical News
Los Alamos National Laboratory: The Radiochemistry of Platinum (1 MB)
EnvironmentalChemistry.com: Platinum

Platinum Photos and Videos

Google Image Search: Platinum
Yahoo! Image Search: Platinum
MSN Live Search: Platinum Images
YouTube: Platinum (Time: 4:53)

Platinum Blogs and Forums

Neatorama: Damien Hirst $99 Million Diamond and Platinum Skull
Jewelry Online Blog: Platinum Queen of Metals
Royal Society of Chemistry: The Many Faces of Platinum

Platinum Organizations and Societies

Platinum Books and Publications

Amazon.com: Platinum Books
Barnes & Noble: Platinum Books
Google Product Search: Platinum Books
Google Book Search: Platinum Books

Related Pages on Mahalo

Gold | Hydrogen | Copper | Uranium | Titanium | Atoms | Elements | Periodic Table of Elements | Carbon | Helium | Iron | Metallurgy | Oxygen

This page was created by Cheryl L, a Part Time Guide in the Mahalo Greenhouse (see the original), and curated by Mike. *If you'd like to help us create the best spam free search results on the Internet, apply to be a Part Time Guide!