Top 10 Most Expensive Metals with Prices
Although there are many metals in the world, these metals are not of the same quality and value. Therefore, to understand the difference in value, I have brought you a list of the Top 10 Most Expensive Metals in the world.
Metals have certain physical qualities that are unique to them. Let’s discuss these qualities. When polished, metals shine. When hammered, metals can bend into different shapes without breaking.
Another quality of metals is that they can stretch into thin wires. Lastly, metals are good conductors of heat and electricity. On the basis of these qualities and more, you can rank and value metals.
Now that we have learned a bit about metals, let us move on to our list of the Most Expensive Metals on earth.
Rhodium
Of all the expensive metals in the world, this is the most expensive metal, reaching about $150 per gram in August 2019. It is a very rare, sliver-white metal, and a platinum group metal. Rhodium is resistant to corrosion and oxidation.
Also, it has a very reflective quality. Its resistance to water and air are some of the qualities that make it very valuable. As rhodium hardly wears or scratches, it serves as a beautiful coating for jewelry. Essentially, it protects them from almost unavoidable agents of corrosion, like water, air, and heat.
Platinum
Platinum is about $54 per gram. Like rhodium, platinum is also silver-white, rare and very inert. It does not corrode, neither does it oxidize. Therefore, it is not affected by common acids, water, oxygen, and heat.
Platinum has a unique quality of being very malleable (it can bend into another shape) and ductile (can be drawn into a thin wire). These advantages make platinum very useful in different areas. It is used for making jewelry and it is used in the field of medicine. Owing to its anti-tumor qualities, it has become important in cancer research.
Palladium
Palladium is a grey-white metal and a platinum group metal. At normal temperature, palladium is resistant to corrosion. Yet, palladium happens to be the most reactive of the platinum group metals. Hence, acids, bases, and halogens attack palladium easily.
This metal is used in the automobile industry as catalyst converters. An alloy of palladium and gold gives us white gold. Palladium is a very rare metal and it costs about $62 per gram.
Gold
The price of gold is about $49 per gram. This is probably the most valuable metal on earth. It has grown to become a favorite for most women. In the history of mankind, gold is one of the precious metals that has shown up the most.
Gold is a soft, very malleable metal. It is yellow and very lustrous. Even more, it is a great conductor of electricity and heat. It is also not reactive; therefore, air, water, and many acids do not affect it. Gold is safe to ingest and has anti-tumor qualities.
Rhenium
Rhenium costs about $42 per gram. This silvery-white metal maintains the usual qualities of metals. Among metals, only tungsten has a melting point that is higher than that of rhenium.
Being a precious metal, it is very rare. Like other metals on this list, rhenium is able to resist corrosion. Rhenium does not wear easily but it can be attacked by other acids except hydrogen chloride.
Rhenium alloys are used for making equipment that can measure high temperatures. The alloys of rhenium make excellent electric contacts. Rhenium is also used for making jewelry but those jewelry are very expensive.
Iridium
This element is the most resistant to corrosion of all the elements on the periodic table. It costs about $18 per gram and it is a member of the platinum group metals. Iridium is very brittle, making it difficult to work with.
This silvery-white colored metal can be reshaped when melted. Iridium is not reactive; so, acids, alkalies, water, and oxygen cannot affect it.
This metal has very high melting and boiling points, making it perfect for making devices that operate at very high temperatures.
Osmium
Typical to metals, osmium is lustrous. Also, it is a beautiful bluish-white metal. It is very hard and brittle; it is one of the metals in the platinum group. The melting point of osmium is very high. It is also the densest element on the periodic table. Osmium is resistant to corrosion; it is also a non-toxic element. Although osmium is non-toxic, its oxides are toxic.
Alloys of osmium make great electrical contacts. Pivot screws for musical instruments, especially woodwind instruments are alloys of osmium. The price of osmium is about $12 per gram.
Ruthenium
Ruthenium is a very rare element in the earth that costs about $8 per gram. This metal is a member of the platinum group. At room temperature, ruthenium is not reactive but at a very high temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius, it oxidizes. Halogens and hydroxides may attack ruthenium too.
Ruthenium is added to palladium and platinum to form an alloy. This alloy is stronger and more resistant to external attacks. It is important to know that certain oxides of ruthenium could be very dangerous to health on inhalation.
Indium
It is a rare, silvery-white metal that is very soft. It is largely fluid over some range of temperatures. Indium gives off a violet flame when heated above its melting point. Indium is impervious to water; however, strong oxidizing agents easily attack it.
Phone screens, flat-screen television screens, and solar panels make use of indium. And these industries use indium because it bonds easily with glass and it is transparent. The price is about $5 per gram.
Silver
This excellent conductor of electricity reacts with hydrogen sulfide in the air. This causes corrosion. Yet, silver is stable in water. Although silver is not very reactive, common acids attack it.
Photographic films are made from halides of silver, and silver nitrate. Silver, being the highest conductor of electricity, among these expensive metals, electrical and electronics companies utilize it. Also, jewelry, kitchen utensils, and cutlery are made from silver. It costs about $0.58 per gram.
