| Origin of Name |
From the Spanish word platina, meaning little silver |
| Date and Place of Discovery |
In 1557 in Central America between Darien and Mexico |
| Discovered by |
In writings of Julius
Caesar Scaliger |
| Common Compounds |
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| Interesting facts |
- It is the rarest of the precious metals.
- It is produced commercially as a by product of nickel ore
processing in the Sudbury Basin in Ontario, Canada.
- It is highly resistant to chemical attack.
- It has stable electrical properties.
- It does not oxidize in air at any temperature.
- It will corrode when exposed to
cyanides, halogens, sulfur, or caustic
alkalis.
|
| Common Uses |
- Gasoline
- Hard disk drives
- Anti-cancer drugs
- Fiber-optic cables
- LCD displays
- Eyeglasses
- Fertilizers
- Explosives
- Paints
- Pacemakers
- Catalyst in fuel cells
- Catalytic converters
- Jewelry
- Missile nose cones
- Dentistry
- Chemo-therapy
|
