Precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, rhodium, and palladium are turning out to be invaluable allies in our journey toward clean energy. From efficient electricity transmission to emission reduction and hydrogen purification, these metals are at the forefront of innovative technologies, shaping the landscape of renewable energy and as we work toward a more sustainable future.

Gold: The High-Tech Conductor

While known for its aesthetics and monetary value, is perhaps lesser known that gold has a pivotal role in the realm of clean energy, specifically in the electronics of renewable energy systems. Its impressive conductivity makes it ideal for efficient energy transmission, particularly in photovoltaic solar cells. The thin gold film in these cells facilitates the efficient conversion of sunlight into electricity, an innovation that’s helping to power our increasingly green world. As our dependency on renewable energy sources grows, gold’s importance in these systems is poised to rise. Researchers are also exploring its potential in other cutting-edge areas, like quantum computing, which could revolutionize the way we process and store renewable energy data.

Silver: The Solar Energy Stalwart

Silver currently has the largest presence and use cases in the solar industry, thanks to its superior electrical and thermal conductivity. It forms the backbone of photovoltaic solar cells, where it is used in the form of a paste that forms the cell’s conductive layers. This silver paste plays a key role in the cell’s ability to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity. Currently, around 10% of the global silver supply is dedicated to the solar industry. The race is now on to find ways to use silver more efficiently or enhance its performance, promising a shining future for this precious metal in clean energy.

Platinum: The Fuel Cell Catalyst

The power of platinum in the clean energy industry lies in its role as a catalyst in fuel cells, especially those powering hydrogen cars. Fuel cells work by facilitating a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, and platinum’s unique properties help speed up this reaction to produce electricity, heat, and water – the only byproduct. While the high cost of platinum presents a challenge, ongoing research is aimed at minimizing the amount needed in these cells. Future applications may extend to large-scale energy systems, like stationary power plants, further expanding platinum’s footprint in clean energy.

Rhodium: The Emission Combatant

Though it’s one of the rarest metals on earth, rhodium has a significant impact on clean energy. Its main role is in automotive catalytic converters, where it helps to reduce harmful emissions by converting them into less harmful substances. As emissions regulations become stricter and hybrid vehicles more common, the demand for rhodium is expected to surge.

In the future, scientists could harness rhodium’s catalytic properties for other applications, such as converting CO2 back into fuel, providing an interesting bridge between fossil fuels and a clean energy future.

Palladium: The Hydrogen Purifier

Palladium may be best known for its role in jewelry, but it’s also making waves in clean energy, primarily through hydrogen purification. This precious metal has the unique ability to absorb a large volume of hydrogen, which can then be easily released, making it an excellent choice for extracting pure hydrogen for use in fuel cells. As the world increasingly turns to hydrogen as a clean energy source, the role of palladium is expected to grow. Additionally, its potential in advanced battery technology could further cement its place in our clean energy future.

What the Future of Clean Energy & Precious Metals Has in Store

As we continue to advance into the clean energy revolution, it’s clear that our path toward sustainability is shining with precious metals. Gold, silver, platinum, rhodium, and palladium have assumed new significance in their unique roles within the clean energy industry. Their contributions range from efficient energy transmission to reducing harmful emissions and advancing hydrogen-based technologies. The future of these metals is not only glistening but also green, promising to play an increasingly central role in our journey towards a sustainable and clean energy-driven world.

While challenges in cost and efficiency persist, the innovative applications of these precious resources underscore their invaluable contribution to a green, sustainable future.

The post Precious Metals and the Future of Clean Energy appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

Where Does Rhodium Come From?

Rhodium is one of the rarest precious metals, and it’s the rarest of the six PGMs (which also include platinum, palladium, osmium, iridium, and ruthenium). Extracting it is a complicated and expensive procedure. The ores are generally mixed with other precious metals, including platinum, gold, silver, and palladium, and there are very few rhodium-bearing minerals. It’s obtained as a byproduct of platinum, nickel, and copper mining. Most rhodium—over 80% of the global supply—is found in South Africa, but it’s also mined to a much lesser extent in Russia, Canada, and Zimbabwe, and in even smaller amounts elsewhere.

Uses for Rhodium

Rhodium is primarily used for making catalytic converters for gasoline-powered vehicles. In fact, this application accounts for a little more than three-quarters of worldwide demand for rhodium. Basically, catalytic converters change the toxic gases in exhaust (especially nitrogen oxides) into gases that are less damaging to the environment and to our health, creating less harmful emissions.

Another 5-7% of rhodium goes to making catalysts for the chemical manufacturing sector.  For example, catalysts containing rhodium help make raw materials used in the production of fertilizers and explosives.

Glass production accounts for about another 3-6% of rhodium use. This precious metal has perfect characteristics for creating the vessels that contain and shape molten glass. It’s also used to produce glass fiber, and liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

Rhodium’s high shine and resistance to scratching and tarnishing also make it useful as a plating for jewelry. In addition, rhodium is sometimes used to make a finish for mirrors, optical instruments, electrical components, high-heat manufacturing and lab equipment, electrodes for aircraft spark plugs, thermocouples, sputtering targets, and more.

Have Rhodium Scrap to Sell?

Rhodium is an extremely valuable precious metal. Turn yours into cash with our transparent assaying process and fast payments based on the current London market price fixings. If you have rhodium (or gold, silver, platinum, or palladium), learn how to sell us your lot now.

The post What Is Rhodium Used For? appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

Here are a couple of places you can find it:

Where To Find Rhodium Scrap

We hope this infographic helped you think of a couple places you might have rhodium scrap. If you do find any, be sure to sell it to a precious metals refiner like Manhattan Gold & Silver. We offer some of the quickest and fairest payments in the industry with a thorough assay process.

The post Where To Find Rhodium Scrap? appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

We’ve compiled facts about the PGM family below so you can get to know their various uses and properties.

The post What Are Platinum Group Metals (PGMs)? appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

If you’re thinking of investing in or selling rhodium, here is an analysis of rhodium and its role in the world economy to help you understand the factors driving up its value as well as some predictions for the future.

Factor #1: Chinese Auto Demand

As the world’s largest market, Chinese economic growth continues to gather strength in 2020. Their auto demand coupled with tightening emissions standards is driving the need for rhodium, which is a key element in the production of catalytic converters that reduce pollutants and toxic gases in exhaust gas.

Factor #2: Rhodium Supply Stoppages

Chinese growth is driving a commodity boom for rhodium. Stoppages at Anglo American Platinum (amplats) have slashed the supply of rhodium by 16% in 2020, according to Reuters. The COVID-19 pandemic will only continue to tighten the market as outbreaks trigger lockdowns in South Africa, the top producer of rhodium. Additional issues such as a lack of reliable energy-generating infrastructure and months-long strikes in South Africa also seriously affect production, so it is important to keep an eye on production there. While rhodium’s price could continue to rise in the near future, its significant premium to palladium and platinum could eventually impact prices and demand.

Rhodium Predictions

Although rhodium is currently experiencing growth, it is important to remember that its prices are historically volatile. As such, miners will still be hesitant to ramp up production for rhodium when its value suddenly changes. Without new production, the supply shortage for rhodium is likely to continue for at least 3 to 4 more years.

It is also predicted the value of rhodium will eventually decline as combustion engines are replaced by batteries to power vehicles, but it is expected for this happen many years into the future.

In Summary

Rhodium is currently experiencing tremendous growth, but it is important to be well-informed about the factors driving its value before deciding to invest in or sell rhodium. Historically, rhodium has been a volatile precious metal to invest in, so do your research on sectors driving its value to see where it might be headed in the future.

The post Why The Price Of Rhodium Is Rocketing To Record Highs In 2021 appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

Although rhodium is not as well-known as precious metals like gold and silver, recent developments have earned it some press. Rhodium surged in price at the beginning of 2020, igniting a renewed interest in the precious metal. It has proven to be a particularly tricky metal to invest in, but one that can certainly be worth the price of admission with the right strategy.

To give this precious metal its long overdue recognition, we’ve created this infographic to highlight some of its most notable characteristics. We hope you enjoy learning about this potential “metal of the future.”

The post Fun Facts About Rhodium appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

A lustrous, silvery platinum group metal, rhodium has become increasingly valuable with recent price surges mostly sparked by demand from the automotive industry. We’ll go into detail about whether it is a wise investment and where you can buy rhodium.

A History of Rhodium Investment

In the past, rhodium was rarely considered an investment in the way that precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium are. Until recently, due to its rarity, you could not invest in rhodium through ETFS, futures, or stocks. Even bullion was not available, with the exception of a few companies offering rhodium dust as a way to purchase the metal.

As a rare precious metal, rhodium can be a particularly tricky asset class. Some investors will benefit greatly from adding rhodium to their portfolios, while others won’t. As a general rule, rhodium is recommended for experienced investors as it is expensive and volatile in regards to its value on the market.

Here are some of the pros and cons of investing in rhodium.

Pros

• Serves as a good long-term hedge
• In demand from the automotive industry
• Frequent price fluctuations make it an attractive option for diversifying your portfolio

Cons

• Expensive
• Short-term vulnerability to price fluctuations that can significantly diminish its value
• The majority of rhodium comes from South Africa, putting the value of rhodium at risk to any geopolitical turmoil in the region

After you consider the pros and cons, if you’re still interested in rhodium investments, various methods for purchasing rhodium exist.

Bars and Coins

At the moment, the best way to buy physical rhodium is in the form of bullion bars. Rhodium coins exist, but they are not significant players in the rhodium bullion markets, so buying cheap rhodium bars is the least expensive way to acquire it. This is because the minting process for coins is extremely hard to attempt when using rhodium. The metal is very difficult to work with due to its high melting point and hardness – often resulting in fractures when the coin is stamped.

Three main brands exist for rhodium bullion, each providing their own physical investment options:

Baird & Co. 

Baird & Co. is Britain’s only gold refinery. One of its starring achievements is launching the world’s first legal tender coin made of rhodium: the Tuvaluan $100 coin. They also produce one ounce rhodium bars made of 99.9% fine rhodium that are more readily available than the Tuvaluan coin.

PAMP Suisse

Another popular option is the rhodium bar produced by PAMP Suisse. The PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna bars are known for their artistic design and are sought out by collectors as well as investors.

Cohen Mint

If you’re looking to buy rhodium coins, a small amount of options exist. Among the few mints available, Cohen mint is the most popular. Its coins come in a tamper-evident case with a label containing technical specifications of the coins. In addition, the case has a security hologram on the back and a certificate of authentication comes with all rhodium coins issued by Cohen mint. However, anyone interested in buying Cohen coins should know they closed their doors years ago, so buying from a third party supplier is your best bet.

If you’re interested in rhodium investment, but you don’t necessarily want to buy the physical format, there do exist possibilities.

Rhodium ETFs

Although there is no futures market for rhodium, a few exchange traded products are available such as Xtrackers Physical Rhodium ETF XFRD and AfricaRhodium ETF ETFRHO.

Remember to brush up on your knowledge of ETFs before proceeding. They are very different in that they work like a stock. In no way is purchasing rhodium through an ETF the same as buying it physically.

No matter how you decide to invest, ensure you are acquiring your rhodium products from a trusted vendor.

Taking Action

If you’re a serious investor with sufficient capital and experience, rhodium could be a great way to diversify your portfolio. Consider your financial goals and see if rhodium might be a good fit for you.

If you’re in possession of any physical rhodium products or scrap, you can send them to a precious metal refinery (like Manhattan Gold & Silver) to exchange them for cash.

The post A Guide to Rhodium Investments appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

The price of rhodium markedly increased in 2020. What exactly is rhodium and why is now such a good time to sell?

What Is Rhodium?

Rhodium’s name is derived from the Greek word “rhodon,” which means rose. It is one of the six platinum group metals: platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium and ruthenium. A silver-white color, rhodium shares platinum’s most defining characteristics, including:

• High melting points
• General non-toxicity
• Resistance to wear, oxidation and corrosion

Because it only develops in one part per 200 million within the Earth’s crust, rhodium is the rarest element in the platinum group. However, its rarity isn’t the only reason why the value of the metal has increased so dramatically.

How Much Has the Price of Rhodium Surged?

The price of rhodium has now reached an 11-year high, increasing in value by 55 percent in the first three weeks of January, to $9,850 per ounce.

At the start of January, rhodium was worth around $6,050 per ounce.

Why the Price of Rhodium Has Surged

The automotive industry drives demand for rhodium because of its use in catalytic converters, which are part of auto exhaust systems that reduce toxic gas emissions. This rare platinum-group metal does not trade on an exchange, and producers are creating a lack of liquidity by releasing very little rhodium into the spot market. Right now, every offer to sell rhodium is being taken because prices for the metal are expected to climb even higher. However, based on its investment history, it may be wise to sell rhodium now–even if its price could still increase.

History of Rhodium Investment

Now is not the only time rhodium prices have spiked. The precious metal’s spot prices have seen two significant price surges over the past 30 years. For example, the rhodium bubble of 2007 saw rhodium prices increase from $500 per ounce in late 2006 to almost $10,000 per ounce in the summer of 2007. By the beginning of 2008, rhodium prices had diminished to around $1,000 per ounce. A combination of demand in the American car industry and a bullish market in rare metals were among the factors that sparked the rhodium buying frenzies, similar to what we are seeing now. It’s up to those holding rhodium to sell now or wait for the price to surge higher–at the risk of the bubble bursting.

Whatever the decision, the rally in price is an early warning sign that should not be overlooked by skilled traders and investors. If you are in possession of rhodium products or scrap, you can send it to a precious metal refinery, like Manhattan Gold & Silver.

The post Rhodium Price Surges: Is Now a Good Time to Sell? appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

In talking with other jewelers about the subject, one key to success was clear: contamination must be prevented at all costs to ensure a thorough and spot-free plating. Make sure the jewelry is thoroughly cleaned of organic contaminants to prevent spotting, and sterilize your equipment to remove metallic contaminants and ensure an even plating.

The shape of the jewelry also plays a role in consistent plating. Did you know that leaving a fork in the microwave will create dangerous sparks, but a spoon won’t? That’s because the prongs of the fork are high-current density zones, so they give off sparks. Since a spoon has a softer shape, the currents from the microwave don’t have any points to condense into – so no sparks are created. If you’re plating jewelry with many points or sharp edges, the same principles apply, so you may need to adjust the voltage of your plating kit accordingly.

The infographic has even more tips. If you have additional advice, feel free to share it on our Facebook or Twitter.

The post Tips for Rhodium Plating Jewelry appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.

Rhodium: If you are a jeweler, you’re probably more familiar with rhodium than most people. Actually, rhodium is far too rare and valuable (worth slightly more than platinum) to be the principle element in any piece of jewelry. However, it is quite durable and uncannily shiny – which makes it an excellent coating material. Quality white-gold jewelry is often rhodium plated to increase its durability and luster. Sterling silver is also rhodium plated to increase its resistance to tarnish. Additionally, rhodium is also an important part of catalytic convertors (similar to palladium). Because rhodium is so rare, it has a high recycling rate – the bulk of which comes from old catalytic convertors.

Iridium: Osmium narrowly beats iridium for the title of densest metal. However, iridium takes the crown for the most corrosion resistant metal. Although there are ways to break it down (as a mater of fact, iridium is extremely brittle), it is totally resistant to all kinds of acid. Any industrial application that needs heavy-duty corrosion resistance will use a little bit of iridium alloy. Famously, iridium is used to explain the extinction of the dinosaurs. While rare on earth, iridium is found in abundance in asteroids. However, there is a stratum of clay throughout the entire earth’s crust that scientists use to mark the border between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods of geological time. This clay is rich in iridium dust. In theory, this layer of iridium occurred when the impact of a massive asteroid or comet collided with the earth creating a massive dust cloud containing iridium. The cloud would have spread across the world, depositing the iridium and blotting out the sun, killing the dinosaurs.

Aluminum: That’s right – prior to the 20th century, aluminum was a precious metal worth more than gold. Although aluminum is one the most commonly occurring elements in the earth’s crust, it never appears in its pure form. Refining pure aluminum used to be very difficult and very costly. These factors elevated it to the status of “precious metal.” In the late 19th century, the Hall-Héroult process was invented and gave the world a cheap and easy way to refine pure aluminum. This combined with aluminum’s commonality reduced its value and eliminated its precious metal status.

Knowing that there are other precious metals out there and seeing what happened with aluminum all those years ago begs the question: what will we be refining tomorrow? Right now, it looks like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are here to stay for a long while. But, as science continues to advance, who knows what the distant future holds.

The post More Precious Metals: Beyond the Big Four appeared first on Manhattan Gold & Silver.