40 Interesting Facts about Platinum

Platinum is costlier than gold in the world. But why people don’t buy platinum more in the form of jewelry? What is it about platinum that makes it so expensive? Does platinum come from space? You will get answers to such fun and interesting questions. In this post, today we will tell you interesting facts about platinum.

FACT#1. It is often understood that platinum is called white gold, but this is only a misconception. Platinum and white gold are different metals. Many people do not know that white gold is not found; naturally, it is made from a mixture of metals like yellow gold, palladium, and silver.

FACT#2. Platinum is about 21 times heavier than water and 3 times heavier than iron.

FACT#3. International Prototype of Kilogram IPK (International Prototype of Kilogram) by which the weight of 1 kilogram is determined worldwide, the prototype is made in the form of a circular cylinder whose diameter and height are the same 39 mm. This cylinder is made of an alloy of platinum and iridium, which contains about 90% platinum and 10% iridium. This prototype is kept in Saint-Cloud, France.

FACT#4. The International Prototype of a Meter by which a distance of 1 meter is determined worldwide is an X-shaped rod made of an alloy of platinum and iridium, which contains about 90% platinum. And 10% is iridium. It is kept in the city of Paris, France.

FACT#5. According to an estimate, only 25% of the total platinum production is used in jewelry making, and investment, the remaining 75% of platinum production is used in industries.

FACT#6. The melting point of platinum is about 200 °C higher than the melting point of iron.

FACT#7. There are 5 major platinum-producing countries in the world: South Africa, Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada, and the United States, out of which South Africa produces 70% of the world’s total platinum production, which was about 110 metric tons in the year 2018.

FACT#8. Platinum is inert and anti-allergic metal, its electrical conductivity is also good, and the small size parts made by it are also very strong and durable. Used in manufacturing devices such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) etc.

FACT#9. The nose cone of the missile, the fuel nozzle of the jet engine, and other components are coated with platinum to work efficiently for a long time, even at high temperatures.

FACT#10. Platinum is used as an anode on ships and underwater pipelines to protect them from corrosion by the sea’s salt water.

FACT#11. Catalytic converters made of platinum are used in fuel cell technology.

FACT#12. Platinum metal is used to make glass and fiberglass-reinforced plastics for LCD display manufacturing.

FACT#13. Platinum metal is used in the glass industry for making crucibles and liners because platinum has a very high melting temperature. Being an inert metal, it does not react chemically with molten glass.

FACT#14. Platinum metal is used to make very expensive glasses of high quality.

FACT#15. Platinum metal is used to make high-quality jewelry.

FACT#16. Platinum is used to make nitric acid from ammonia to manufacture fertilizers and explosives.

FACT#17. Platinum metal is also used in dentistry.

FACT#18. Platinum metal is used in anti-cancer medicines, and platinum is used in chemotherapy.

FACT#19. Platinum metal is used to make fiber optic cables.

FACT#20. Platinum is used to make computer hard drives.

FACT#21. Platinum metal is also used in the petroleum industry. Catalytics made of platinum metal are important in extracting gasoline and other fuels from crude oil.

FACT#22. The most important use of platinum is in the automobile industry, and catalytic converters are made for vehicles with platinum. It is applied in vehicles’ exhaust, and the catalytic converter converts toxic gases from vehicles into less harmful gases. Due to this pollution is reduced.

FACT#23. Platinum is a malleable metal, but its malleability is less than gold and silver.

FACT#24. Platinum is the most malleable metal, 16500 meters long wire can be made from 1 gram of platinum without breaking, whose thickness is about 0.0006 MM.

FACT#25. Platinum is a chemically inert metal, due to which platinum does not rust. Platinum does not react with the oxygen present in the air even at high temperatures, due to which it remains rustproof even at high temperatures.

FACT#26. Air and water do not affect platinum.

FACT#27. There are six naturally occurring isotopes of platinum, with platinum-194 being the most abundant.

FACT#28. Platinum has anti-allergic properties, so any allergy sufferer can easily wear jewelry made of platinum.

FACT#29. Platinum is very strong and durable. It is stress resistant even in extreme heat and extreme cold. That is, platinum neither expands much nor shrinks much, even in extreme heat and extreme cold, and maintains its shape, so made of platinum Jewelry remains durable for a long time.

FACT#30. Platinum was discovered in 1557 by the Italian scientist Julius Scaliger.

FACT#31. Platinum is one of the platinum group’s six rare elements; the other elements are ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, and iridium. The physical and chemical properties of all the elements of the platinum group are almost similar and generally found together in minerals.

FACT#32. Platinum is a metal. It is an element in chemical form. It is a very rare and precious metal, a shiny white metal like silver.

FACT#33. Platinum is a dense, malleable, ductile, chemically nonreactive metal. Its symbol is Pt. Its atomic weight is 195.08, its atomic number is 78, its atom contains 78 protons, 78 electrons, and 117 neutrons, and the density of platinum is 21.45 grams per cubic centimeter.

FACT#34. Platinum is solid at room temperature, melts at 1772°C (Melting Point), and starts boiling at 3827°C (Boiling Point).

FACT#35. Ancient civilizations used platinum in Central and South America.

FACT#36. The Spanish scientist Antonio de Ulloa is credited with discovering platinum in 1748, but many European scientists began to study and attempt to isolate platinum.

FACT#37. For nearly 100 years (1889 to 1960), a 90% platinum alloy was the international standard for the definition of a meter.

FACT#38. Earth’s Moon and meteorites often contain high concentrations of platinum.

FACT#39. South Africa is the leading producer of refined platinum, controlling 77% of the global share.

FACT#40. While vehicles and jewelry making an account for about 46% and 31%, respectively, all other applications of platinum, including coinage and investments, make up the remainder.

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Hitesh Singh Kardam

Fastnfact.com is an ever-growing knowledge base for the world most random and interesting facts that take relevant and complex information from NGOs, thinks tanks, journals, specialized magazines, and media and converts blogpost that are easy and fun to read, making the information accessible to students, teachers and curious minds for fun, research, lesson planning, and homework.

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