Ruthenium, a platinum group member

Although alphabetically last in a list of precious metals, ruthenium is considered to be the most versatile of this group of elements. There is a total of six precious metals found within the platinum group, with ruthenium being the most versatile.

Ruthenium is a hard white-colored metal that has four crystallization varieties. Ruthenium does not tarnish under general circumstances, but will quickly oxidize quickly with exposure to air. Two methods of plating will improve its durability, these are known as electrodeposition and thermal decomposition.

Alloys comprised of ruthenium and palladium or ruthenium and platinum are commonly used as materials for electrical contacts because of the excellent wear resistance. Ruthenium is known to be very effective when used as a hardener when used as an alloy for palladium or platinum products. Adding ruthenium to titanium, the resulting alloy has a significantly improved resistance to corrosion.

There are other applications for ruthenium, including manufacture of film chip resistors, as an alloy with gold for high end jewelry, industrial turbine blades for aircraft engines (because it is a high temperature super alloy), tips for high end fountain pens, as part of a chemical process for mixed-metal oxide anodes or removal of hydrogen sulfide during industrial manufacture; parts of optical sensor devices; and radiography equipment (such as that required for eye sensors).

Ruthenium is found in various ores in the Ural Mountain range in Russia, as well as parts of North America and South America. Other locations, including Sudbury in Ontario, Canada, in pentlandite, (which is an sulfide comprised of iron and nickel) as well as small areas of South Africa, in pyroxenite (which is an ultrabasic igneous rock formation) also contain sources of ruthenium. This precious metal is found alongside the other five precious metals that are included within the platinum group.

Ruthenium is derived for commercial purposes as a by- product when nickel and copper is processed. This is similar to the way that the other platinum family precious metals are obtained.

Direct processing of certain platinum ores can also be a way to obtain ruthenium. Isolating ruthenium can only be done following a complex chemical process. This process will ultimately yield a powder form which can be consolidated through argon arc-welding techniques.

Ruthenium is rather rare, ranking 74th among all of the chemical metal elements, making it one of the most rare elements.

Worldwide, there are approximately 5000 tons available, and this amount is mined at a rate of approximately 12 tons per year. Ruthenium is valued at around $1000 per troy ounce.