Spanish conquistadors found a silvery metal in Colombian rivers and dismissed it as "platina" — little silver. They tossed it back into the water, never suspecting they held one of the most valuable metals on Earth. Today, platinum is 30 times rarer than gold.
This metal is truly irreplaceable. Every car with a catalytic converter uses platinum to clean exhaust gases. Platinum-based drugs fight cancer. Hydrogen fuel cells depend on platinum catalysts. And jewelers prize it because it never tarnishes.
Platinum is a dense, malleable, silvery-white metal. It does not oxidize in air, resists most acids, and withstands extreme temperatures — melting only at 1,768 °C. This exceptional chemical stability makes platinum indispensable in industry.
Over 70% of the world's supply comes from South Africa. Only about 190 tons of platinum are mined each year — enough to fit in a single room.
Metallic platinum is safe — it is inert and non-toxic. It is used in jewelry and medical implants without issue. However, soluble platinum salts (chloroplatinates) can cause allergic skin and respiratory reactions known as platinosis. The anticancer drug cisplatin is toxic and requires strict medical supervision. Working with platinum compounds calls for protective gloves and proper ventilation.
Only 8,000 tons of platinum have been mined in all of human history — 25 times less than gold. If you melted it all down, it would barely fill a living room.
Every car with a catalytic converter contains 2-7 grams of platinum. It converts toxic carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides into harmless water and nitrogen.
Cisplatin — a platinum-based drug — cures over 90% of testicular cancer cases. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when a scientist noticed a platinum electrode stopping bacterial cell division.
16th-century conquistadors threw platinum back into rivers, calling it "unripe silver." The Spanish government even banned importing platinum into Europe to prevent gold counterfeiting.
The international kilogram standard from 1889 to 2019 was a cylinder made of a platinum-iridium alloy. It was stored under three glass bells in Paris.
Hydrogen fuel cells cannot work without platinum. It catalyzes the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity — and the only byproduct is pure water.
| Isotope | Mass (u) | Abundance | Half-life | Decay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
190Pt☢ | 189.959932 | 0.01% | 6.5×10¹¹ years | α |
192Pt | 191.961038 | 0.78% | stable | — |
194Pt | 193.962680 | 32.97% | stable | — |
195Pt | 194.964791 | 33.83% | stable | — |
196Pt | 195.964952 | 25.24% | stable | — |
198Pt | 197.967893 | 7.16% | stable | — |
Found in gold mining operations