Platinum

Platinum  Properties: Used in:  catalytic converters , laboratory equipment, electrical contacts and electrodes platinum resistance thermometers dentistry equipment jewelry The annual supply of platinum is only about 130 tons - which is equivalent to only 6% (by weight) of the total Western World's annual mine production of gold. This shows why the mineral has the nickname "The Rich Man's Gold". Sources of platinum production are quite scarce. In fact, more than 90% of world platinum production is concentrated in just two areas in South Africa and Russia. Additionally, there are not more than ten significant platinum mining companies in the world. EXTRACTION Usually platinum mining is underground although there is some open-pit mining. The extraction stage of platinum is labour-intensive. Miners bore holes with hand-held pneumatic drills and blast them with explosives. Afterward ore is removed and transported to the surface.Once in the surface, ore is crushed and milled in order to obtain smaller rock particles and to expose the minerals. Substitutes for Platinum:   Lead  nickel  iron  quartz  silver By: Marissa Wolf
 * Color || White-gray to silver-gray. ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Luster || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Metallic ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Transparency || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Opaque ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Cleavage || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">None ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Fracture || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Jagged ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Hardness || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">4-4.5 ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Specific gravity || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">14 - 19+, pure platinum is 21.5. ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Streak || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Steel-gray ||
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Tenacity || <span style="color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">Ductile and Malleable ||

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