Platinum (Pt), atomic number 78, is a dense, malleable, ductile, and highly unreactive silverish-white transition metal. Its name comes from the Spanish word "platina," meaning "little silver." Known for its precious metal status, platinum's unreactive nature makes it valuable in various applications.
Platinum was discovered in the Bushveld region of South Africa in 1906.
In 1924, Hans Merensky discovered the Merensky Reef in South Africa, a major source of platinum, containing about 75% of the world's known reserves.
Platinum mining operations commenced in Platinum, Alaska, in 1927.
The use of the platinum-iridium international prototype meter as the standard definition of a meter ended in 1960.
By 1975, approximately 17,000 kg of platinum had been extracted from the mine in Platinum, Alaska.
The Standard Platinum Resistance Thermometer (SPRT) became one of the defining instruments for the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90).
In 2007, Gerhard Ertl received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on the molecular mechanisms of catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide over platinum, which is crucial for the functioning of catalytic converters.
South Africa became the leading producer of platinum in 2010, accounting for nearly 77% of global production.
In 2014, the majority of platinum was used in vehicle emissions control devices (45%), followed by jewelry (34%), chemical production and petroleum refining (9.2%), and electrical applications (2.7%).
The definition of the kilogram was changed in May 2019, no longer being based on the international prototype kilogram, a platinum-iridium cylinder.
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