WHAT ARE NOBLE METALS?

The noble metals are metals that are resistant to corrosion and oxidation in moist
air (unlike most base metals). They are the opposite of the base metals, which more
readily oxidize and corrode.

While the noble metals tend to be valuable due to both their rarity in the Earth's
crust and their usefulness in areas like metallurgy, high technology, and
ornamentation (jewelry, art, sacred objects, etc.) the terms "noble metal" and
"precious metal" are not synonymous.

The term noble metal can be traced back to at least the late 14th century and has
slightly different meanings in different fields of study and application. Only in atomic
physics is there a strict definition. For this reason there are many quite different lists
of "noble metals".

Noble metals were obtained from alluvial deposits by washing sand on boards cover
ed with animal skins whose fur had been cut short (to catch gold particles) and also
by using primitive troughs, pans, and buckets. Noble metals were extracted from
ores by heating the rocks until they cracked, with
subsequent crushing of the lumps in stone mortars, milling with
millstones, and flushing. Sieve were used to separate the pieces by size.
Interesting technological discoveries of that time include a method of
separating silver and gold alloys by means of acids, separating gold and
silver from
lead alloys by cupellation (ancient Egypt), and extracting gold by amalgamation wit
h mercury or by means of an oiled surface(ancient Greece).
Cupellation was carried out in clay
crucibles to which lead, salt, tin, and bran were added.

PROPERTIES
Noble Metals are found as pure metals because they are unreactive and don't
combine with other elements to form compounds. Because they are so unreactive,
they don't corrode easily. This makes them ideal for jewelry and coins. Noble metals
include copper, palladium, silver, platinum, and gold.

Palladium, platinum, gold and mercury can be dissolved in aqua regia, a highly
concentrated mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, but iridium and silver
cannot. Silver is, however, soluble in pure nitric acid. Ruthenium can be dissolved in
aqua regia only when in the presence of oxygen, while rhodium must be in a fine
pulverized form. Niobium and tantalum are resistant to all acids, including aqua
regia.
 NOBLE METALS AND USE

1. RUTHENIUM -Because of its ability to harden platinum and palladium.

Ruthenium is used in platinum and palladium alloys.
Application: Used to make wear-resistant electrical contacts.
2. RHODIUM is used as an alloying agent for hardening and improving the
corrosion resistance of platinum and palladium.
Application: used in furnace windings, bushings for glass fiber production,
thermocouple elements, electrodes for aircraft spark plugs, and laboratory
crucibles.
3. PALLADIUM Used in the three-way catalytic converters in car exhaust
systems.
4. Silver - solar panels, water filtration, jewelry and ornaments, high-value
tableware and utensils (hence the term silverware), and also as an investment in
the forms of coins and bullion.
5. Osmium - very hard
Application: used in the tips of fountain pens, instrument pivots, and electrical
contacts, as they can resist wear from frequent operation.
6. Main use of iridium is as a hardening agent for platinum alloys.
With osmium, it forms an alloy that is used for tipping pens, and compass bearings.
Iridium is used in making crucibles and other equipment that is used at high
temperatures.
7. Platinum is used in catalytic converters, laboratory equipment,
electrical contacts and electrodes, platinum resistance thermometers,
dentistry equipment, and jewellery. Being a heavy metal, it leads to
health issues upon exposure to its salts, but due to its corrosion
resistance, it is not as toxic as some metals.
8. Many Uses of Gold. Gold's qualities make it one of the most coveted metals
in the world. Not only can it be beautifully shaped and sculpted, the yellow metal
conducts electricity and does not tarnish. These qualities make it the metal of
choice for a wide variety of industries.