Prompt Cast
The Discovery and Uses of Rhodium in the Jewelry Industry
TLDR Scientists discovered malleable platinum while trying to figure out how to make platinum malleable, leading to the discovery of rhodium and palladium. Rhodium, a rare and valuable metal, is primarily used in jewelry plating due to its durability and scratch resistance.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
In 1800, English scientists William Hyde Walliston and Smithson Tennant paid a significant amount of money for a rare and pure platinum ore, as they were trying to figure out how to make platinum malleable.
02:02
In addition to discovering malleable platinum, Walliston and Tennant also discovered two other precious metals, rhodium and palladium, which are part of the platinum group metals.
03:58
Rhodium is a rare and valuable precious metal that is usually found in alloys with other substances, and its price has fluctuated significantly, reaching a peak of $30,000 per ounce in April 2021 before dropping to around $4,000 per ounce.
06:09
Rhodium's price has dropped from a peak of $30,000 per ounce to around $4,000 per ounce, but it is still one of the most valuable metals in the world due to its low supply and high demand for use in catalytic converters.
08:19
Rhodium's demand has decreased due to the decline in the use of catalytic converters, which were primarily used in the automotive industry to convert nitrous oxide emissions, and about 80% of the world's supply of rhodium comes from South Africa.
10:12
Rhodium is a super shiny and hard metal that is often used in jewelry plating because it is durable, hypoallergenic, and scratch resistant, but it must be dissolved in certain acids to plate it and the fumes produced are harmful.
12:16
Rhodium is used in jewelry plating and only a small amount is needed, making it relatively inexpensive, and it is also a catalyst for the production of menthol.
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Society & Culture
