Platinum metal has multiple uses, and many devices/equipment are used in research areas and medical, which contain it as a constituent like a computer hard disk, dentistry, electricals, turbines etc.
It is extensively used in making jewellery and is mostly used as a catalytic converter for diesel vehicles, accounting for almost 50 per cent of the global demand. People also wear it to showcase royalty like Queen Elizabeth and the King Louis XV of France.
Platinum uses and mining.
It is a silvery-white metal, rarer than gold, but the platinum bullion value of the metal is high due to the rarity factor and higher industrial applications.
There are few places around the world where it can be found, with some regions having strong regulations to restrict unethical mining.
The metal is used not just in electronics but to coat missile nose cones and jet engine fuel nozzles. It can be found in resistance wires and high-temperature furnaces.
It also makes cathodic production systems for ships, steel piers and pipelines. The exhaust combines carbon monoxide and unburned fuel from the car's exhaust to release carbon dioxide and water vapour.
It is also used to produce sulfuric acid and in processing petroleum products.
The Transvaal Province region in South Africa has the Bushveld Igneous Complex, which contains the highest amount of Platinum. The mines were founded in 1924 and hosted multiple layers of ores, while mining is heavily regulated in South Africa.
But, in recent years, the business has been widely affected by labour strikes, scandals, safety concerns and other unethical practices. The Platreef was not mined until 1993, but now it is the third largest and constitutes a good percentage of the world's total platinum production, where the total production is approx—110,000 (in kg).
Russia produces less than –a fourth of the amount produced by South Africa and Zimbabwe, and Canada produces 11,000 and 7200 kg.
In Russia, the mines were first found in the early 19th century, and now the regions are known for one of the longest platinum mining locations in the Ural Mountains – in 1823. Russia has several mining areas, but the two locations in the Far East produced over 185,000 oz of Platinum in 2005.
The platinum group metals in the North American continent were mined in Canada and Montana. It is a byproduct of nickel mining. The mining took place in 1883 in Canada.
Zimbabwe has main metal sources in four regions with unique geographical locations and structures to ensure higher production.
It is mostly found deep in the form of nuggets or grains and is alloyed with other metals. It was extracted from such regions through drilling holes and explosives, but newer hybrid mining systems are now used to drill holes and clean the ores.
It needs an extensive cleaning mechanism where metal traces are removed. It isn't easy to process metal compared to gold, and it takes five times more resources.
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