Beginning of Essay
, symbol Pt, is a relatively rare, chemically inert metallic element that is more expensive than gold. The atomic number of is 78. is one of the transition elements in group 10 of the periodic table. is the most important of the group of elements called the ....

Middle of Essay
.... from 60 to 85 percent pure platinum. The small, irregular grains that contain the ore also contain other rare metals, such as iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium. The grains also contain small amounts of iron, copper, chromium, and titanium. A large nugget of platinum will be found only on occasion, like in 1843, a lump weighing over 21 pounds was found in Russia. Russia produces the worlds largest share of platinum-group metals. Other important sources of platinum are located in the Transvaal province in South Africa and in Sudbury, Ont. Colombia and the United States also have sources of platinum. The United States uses about 475 ....