Rhodium

Rhodium is currently the most expensive metal in the world, because it is very rare.

It is known for its non-oxidizing qualities in air, its unalterability, and its resistance to chemical corrosion.

In 2024, the price of rhodium per kilo is around €180,000.

Rhodium was identified in 1803 by the famous British chemist William Hyde Wollaston, who was already renowned for his discovery of palladium.

This new metal was thus to be named " Rhodium " by Wollaston, in reference to the Greek term rhodon , which means "rose".

This word referred to the color of the same name, due to the pink color that the metal gives to a solution of rhodium sulfate.

Rhodium is used in the automotive, jewelry, electronics industries and in various chemical reactions.

In jewelry making, rhodium is used for rhodium plating, to plate solid silver or white gold jewelry in order to preserve its shine, brilliance and corrosion resistance.

Photo credit: www.metaux.info

Rhodium is found in extremely limited quantities in the Earth's crust.

South Africa is positioned as the world's leading player in rhodium extraction, followed by countries such as Russia, Canada and the United States.

Rhodium is usually extracted as a by-product during the extraction of other metals, especially those belonging to the platinum group, as these metals are often associated in the same deposits.

It is possible to buy it in the form of ingots or coins.

Rhodium is not as readily available for purchase as other precious metals such as gold or silver.