Rhodium

Description

Rhodium is a silver-white metal. One of rhodium's most notable qualities is its very high lustre, which is not tarnished by the atmosphere at room temperature. As a result, rhodium is frequently electroplated onto metal objects and polished to give permanent attractive surfaces.

Major sources of supply

• South Africa is the major source, accounting for almost 60% of the world's rhodium supply.

• Russia is the second largest producer, although its sales are, as with the other PGMs, volatile and subject to political intervention.
  

Major applications

Rhodium usage is dominated by autocatalyst applications where it is used together with platinum and palladium to control exhaust emissions.

Historical prices

High rhodium prices during the late 1980s led to increased rhodium production from South Africa. This increased supply was primarily responsible for a declining rhodium price during the 1990s. Interruptions to Russian supply since early 1997 have helped the rhodium price to recover strongly.