Middle East Platinum

Platinum is the rarest of the precious metals. Discovered in the sixteenth century, much later than gold and silver were discovered, platinum was considered worthless by gold-seeking Spanish explorers in North America and only recognized as an element in the eighteenth century. The modern discovery of platinum was in 1735. Advances in technology and refining have led to increased presence of platinum. Like the other precious metals, it finds uses in not only jewelry, but also electronic manufacturing and other forms of equipment manufacturing. Other precious platinum group metals, include iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium and ruthenium.