Various Types of Precious Metals

Chemical symbol: Pt

Atomic number: 78

Atomic mass: 195.1

Description: Platinum is a precious metal. It is silver-white or grayish white. It is one of the heaviest chemical elements.

Uses: Industrial catalysts, jewelry

Facts: Like gold and silver, platinum is highly malleable and ductile. Platinum is the basis of important catalysts in industry. It does not oxidize except in the presence of bases.

Chemical symbol: Ag

Atomic number: 47

Atomic mass: 107.9

Description: Silver is a soft, white precious metal. While rare, it is not as rare as gold.

Uses: Jewelry, ornamentation, money, mirrors, electrically conductive paint

Facts: Silver was one of the first metals to be used by humans. It is slightly harder than gold but still is very ductile and malleable. Pure silver has the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of all metals. Unlike gold, silver tarnishes when exposed to environmental contaminants (such as ozone and hydrogen sulphide).

Chemical symbol: Au

Atomic number: 79

Atomic mass: 197.0

Description: Gold is a precious metal with a yellow color and reflective glow. It has been the most sought after metal throughout history. It is prized for its beauty, scarcity, and usefulness as a metal that in pure form does not tarnish or rust.

Facts: Gold is the most malleable and ductile metal. One ounce of gold can be flattened thin enough to cover about 300 square feet. Gold has superior electrical and thermal conductivity (only copper and silver are better) and it is used in some electronics applications such as high reliability connectors.