What Is Rhodium?

February 16, 2009 by PreciousMetalInvestment.com  
Filed under Platinum Group Metals

  • Rhodium is a hard, silvery and durable metal in the Platinum group.
  • The Chemical symbol for Rhodium is Rh.
  • Rhodium is highly reflective and is often used to give white gold an extra shine
  • It has a higher melting point than Platinum and is resistant to corrosion.
  • Like Platinum it is a hard, ductile, malleable and is a good electrical conductor.
  • Rhodium resists attack by acids and can only be dissolved in aqua regia, a highly volatile mix of concentrated nitric and sulphuric acids that is also one of the few substances that can dissolve gold and platinum.
  • It is the most expensive of all precious metals.

Over the last 30 years Rhodium has averaged circa $1000 a troy ounce and in 2006 has reached $6200.00 an ounce. Rhodium, named after rhodon, the Greek for rose, was discovered by William Hyde Wollaston in 1804 shortly after he had discovered Platinum and Palladium. Read more

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