Palladium
Palladium (Pd) is a chemical element. It is a rare silvery white metal discovered in 1803 that is mainly used today in vehicle catalytic converters.
Palladium was discovered by William Wollaston in 1803. It is part of a group of elements known as the platinum group metals (PGM's) that include the following; osmium, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, platinum and palladium. All these metals have much the same chemical properties but palladium is the least dense and has the lowest melting point.
The Uses of Palladium
The motor industry uses up most of the palladium produced in the world today with the manufacturing of catalytic converters that convert harmful gases emitted by vehicle engines such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into less-harmful substances such as water vapour, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Other uses for palladium include the following:
- Blood sugar testing strips
- Dentistry
- Watch making
- Jewellery
- Medicine
- Purification of hydrogen
- Electronics
- Fuel cells that combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce water, heat and electricity
- Aircraft engine spark plugs
- Surgical instruments
- Electrical contacts
- Professional transverse flutes
- Bullion value with ISO currency codes of 964 and XPD that places it alongside only three other metals with similar codes, these being; platinum, silver and gold.
- In soldering materials and plating of electronic components.
- Palladium chloride was once used to treat tuberculosis but it came with considerable side effects and was eventually replaced by more effective treatment
Palladium has been used in the jewellery industry since 1939 as white gold, as an alternative to using platinum. This is because of its natural white colouring that doesn't require rhodium plating. It can be beaten into a thin leaf in a similar fashion as gold but unlike platinum it is susceptible to discolouring in heat above 400 degrees Celsius when it also becomes brittle and will react with nitric acid and other strong acids.
Palladium ore Deposits are Rare
Deposits of palladium ore are very rare with most of the metal coming from Russia, South Africa, Canada and the United States. Much of the palladium used by industry today being sourced from the recycling of catalytic converters. It is also found as a free metal alloyed with other platinum group metals such as gold in placer deposits in Australia, the Ural mountains, Ethiopia and South America. It is therefore a metal that arouses considerable investment interest. It can also be produced in nuclear fission reactors and extracted from used nuclear fuel although this source is not used at the present time.
The Panton Project In Western Australia may Make Australia a Leading Producer of Palladium in the Future
In the Kimberly region of Western Australia, 60 kilometres north of Halls Creek, a large palladium deposit is being looked at for future development. It is known as the Panton Project but is currently on hold owing to viability concerns. Palladium is hard to discover in large volumes and is difficult to mine.
Palladium and Platinum Have Similar Uses
Palladium and platinum both have a jewellery demand although palladium share is only four percent whereas platinum enjoys 51 percent. However, both are in high demand from the vehicle industry for the production of catalytic converters where palladium demands total 63 percent of all palladium produced against that of platinum that demands 21 percent.
Australian Mines that produce Bauxite
Gove (NT)
Up to 600 workers employed at the Gove bauxite refinery in the Northern Territory face an uncertain future as Pacific Aluminium suspends alumina production.
Ely (QLD)
The Ely Alcan Queensland Pty Ltd agreement at the Weipa bauxite mine is due to expire in 2041 but an option will give it a further 21 years extension.
Skardon River (QLD)
Gulf Alumina acquired 100 percent of the Skardon River tenement in 2011 from its koalin mining joint partner to develop the mining of bauxite at the site
Weipa (QLD)
The Weipa bauxite mine on the western side of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland is both owned and operated by Rio Tinto Alcan.
Huntly (WA)
The Huntly mine in Western Australia is the largest bauxite mine in the world currently producing about 23 million tonnes of bauxite annually.
Willowdale (WA)
The Willowdale bauxite mine that commenced production in 1984 still processes 10 million tonnes of bauxite a year at the nearby Wagerup Refinery.
Worsley (WA)
The Worsley bauxite mine and alumina refinery in South West Western Australia employs more than 1,800 people and produces 4.6 million tonnes of alumina annually.
South Aurukun (QLD)
The South Aurukun bauxite tenements on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland are held by Gulf Alumina.
Marchinbar Island (NSW)
The Marchinbar Island bauxite deposit in far north Northern Territory could be mined to satisfy a growing demand from China in the near future.
Kwinana Refinery (WA)
The Kwinana refinery in WA employs around 1,000 direct employees with 60 percent living in the nearby towns of Rockingham, Cockburn and Kwinana.
Wagerup Refinery (WA)
The Alcoa owned Wagerup alumina refinery in W.A. has received governmental approval to lift alumina production from 2.6 to 2.65 million tonnes annually.
Pinjarra Alumina Refinery (WA)
The Pinjarra alumina refinery, near Mandurah south of Perth, is an important part of Alcoa's three refinery system in Western Australia.
Portland Aluminium Smelter (VIC)
The Portland Aluminium smelter in western Victoria, a joint venture operation between Alcoa, CITIC and Marubeni, caters solely to the Asian market.
Felicitas (WA)
The Felicitas bauxite project in Western Australia contains a bauxite resource of 220 million tonnes that will give it a life of mine of 25 years
South Of Embley (QLD)
Despite Rio Tinto placing its South of Embley bauxite project in Cape York, Queensland, on hold for 18 months it still considers it a 'good project.'
Bauxite Hills (QLD)
The Bauxite Hills Project on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland is hoping to take advantage of an expected increase in the demand for Alumina.
Bald Hill (TAS)
Australian Bauxite Limited's Bald Hill mine, in Tasmania, is to start production in December, 2014. It is the first new bauxite mine in Australia, for over 35 years.
Urquhart Point (QLD)
The Urquhart Point Heavy Mineral Sands Project in Cape York in Far North Queensland is expected to begin production in mid-2015.
Amrun (QLD)
The Amrun bauxite project in far north Queensland, that was previously known as the 'South of Embley' project has been approved for development and expected to be in production by 2019.
