How to find platinum

Platinum is found in its pure native form or in platiniridium, a natural alloy of platinum and iridium. Platinum is present in thin sulfide layers in certain mafic igneous bodies and is mined in Canada, Russia, South Africa, the USA, Zimbabwe and Australia.

1. Is platinum easy to find?
2. Does platinum stick to a magnet?
3. How can you tell if it's real platinum?
4. How much platinum is in a Cadillac converter?
5. Will a metal detector find platinum?
6. Where can you find raw platinum?
7. How can I tell platinum from silver?
8. What kind of rock is platinum found in?
9. Can platinum be marked 925?
10. How do you get platinum out of a catalytic converter?

Is platinum easy to find?

Platinum is used in jewelry, thermocouples, catalytic converters and many other places. That should mean that it is easy to find bits and chunks of platinum scrap that we can recycle profitably for you, correct? Well yes, there is a lot of the metal out there waiting for you to discover.

Does platinum stick to a magnet?

The mineral platinum is certainly attracted to a magnet, with few exceptions.

How can you tell if it's real platinum?

Answer. The simplest tests are heating and discoloration. If the item is heated, for example, in a Bunsen flame, platinum will be more difficult or impossible to melt and the platinum will not discolour. The effect of acid is another basic test.

How much platinum is in a Cadillac converter?

Because catalytic converters contain three different Platinum Group Metals – platinum, palladium, and rhodium – they can be very valuable. On average, there are between 3-7 grams of platinum in a standard catalytic converter, but the amount varies based on manufacturer and model.

Will a metal detector find platinum?

Metal detectors can find platinum items that are buried underground or covered with sand. ... For every 100 pieces of gold jewelry that are dropped on a beach, for example, maybe one platinum engagement ring is lost.

Where can you find raw platinum?

Platinum in the Earth's crust originates from ultra-mafic igneous rocks. It can therefore be associated with rocks like chromite and olivine. In nature, pure platinum is unknown and well formed crystals are very rare. Platinum is typically found as nuggets and grains.

How can I tell platinum from silver?

While at first glance both silver and platinum appear silver in color, the two metals are actually easily discernible to the naked eye. Both have gray undertones, unlike white gold which has a warmer, yellow undertone, but platinum is much brighter and shinier and silver has a duller, gray appearance.

What kind of rock is platinum found in?

Platinum is nearly always found in basic igneous rocks, such as peridotite and dunites, and in serpentine derived by alteration of such rocks. By disintegration of these rocks and concentration in stream gravels, platinum accumulates in placers.

Can platinum be marked 925?

When an item is stamped “925 Platinum,” it means that it is made of 92.5% platinum. ... You will also find pieces of jewelry that are marked “925 Silver” and “925 Gold.” Those terms mean exactly what the “925 Platinum” term means – that the item you are looking at contains 92.5% silver or gold.

How do you get platinum out of a catalytic converter?

To remove the platinum coating on the catalyst pieces, the catalyst pieces must be removed from the converter. This is done simply by turning up the catalytic converter lengthwise and pounding on one end with a blunt instrument until the catalyst pieces start to fall out of the lower, open end of the converter.