The recent experiments conducted at the U.S. government’s Sandia National Laboratories have demonstrated that pieces of pure platinum and copper can spontaneously heal cracks caused by metal fatigue. Metal fatigue occurs when metal is subjected to repeated stress or motion, leading to microscopic cracks that can worsen over time and potentially cause catastrophic failures in machines, vehicles, and structures, including...
Platinum news
New CEO of Clean Air Metals launches platinum and palladium deposits
Jim Gallagher, a respected mining executive and former CEO of North American Palladium, has been appointed as the permanent CEO of Clean Air Metals in Thunder Bay. Gallagher initially took on the role as interim CEO following the departure of Abraham Drost. Clean Air Metals’ primary asset is the Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals Project, an advanced-stage exploration project located...
Platinum deficit could cause palladium shortage
The world platinum market is expected to swing to a big deficit this year, close to 1 million troy ounces. Here is why this is happening and what implications this may have for the sister metal palladium. World Platinum Investment Council forecasts a platinum deficit of 983,000 troy ounces this year, according to the latest report of the global research...
Platinum mines in South Africa blame Eskom for production decline
Several platinum mines in South Africa have been blaming the country’s energy crisis on Eskom for its underperformance in production. According to the World Platinum Investment Council, platinum is expected to hit a 303 koz deficit this year, partly owing to Eskom’s load-shedding which impeded the output of refined, saleable metal. Mines such as Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum, Sibanye-Stillwater...
Platinum Outshines Other Precious Metals in 2022
Based on Kitco analytics Precious metals had a mixed performance in 2022, with platinum being the top performer, up nearly 11% on the year. Silver came in second, with a gain of nearly 3%, while gold ended the year flat. Palladium was the biggest loser, down around 6% in 2022. These precious metals showed their best performance in the last...
Platinum-cobalt alloy developed as catalyst for next-gen hydrogen fuel cells
The high cost of platinum, a valuable metal that is the main catalyst for the chemical reactions in next-generation hydrogen fuel cells, has been a barrier to the widespread adoption of this technology. However, scientists have engineered a platinum-cobalt alloy to act as a catalyst, greatly reducing the amount of platinum needed to achieve the same or even better performance....
Nickel Creek Platinum completes drilling project at Yukon flagship asset
Nickel Creek Platinum has announced the completion of a drilling and geophysics programme conducted in Yukon, Canada, as part of the Nickel Shaw Project. The project involved a total of 3,300 metres of drilling, 2,000 metres of which comprised a Prefeasibility Study (“PFS”) at the Wellgreen deposit. Eight holes were drilled to support the conversion of mineral resources from inferred...
New platinum-based catalyst shows great promise in dealing with methane emissions
A new palladium and platinum catalyst shows great promise in eliminating methane emissions from various human activities. The major advantage over other catalysts is its ability to work in the presence of water vapor, which is always present during natural gas combustion. Who Researchers at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya outlined their findings in a paper published in the Nature...