BECKlog

Until recently I had not known that so-called "spice metals" are. Below you understand some very rare metallic elements, particularly for modern technologies, including key technologies and irreplaceable because of their special properties (still) are not indispensable. There are about 50 of these rare metal elements.

Each computer chip is now "seasoned" with up to 40 of these elements, a cellular phone with up to 25 of these fine metals such as Coltrane. Light-emitting diodes (LED lights) come without gallium or indium, depending on the color, nothing. Including flat, illuminated displays (displays), but also CIS solar cells require indium.

As raw materials experts, such as Armin Reller of the University of Augsburg , to emphasize some of these metals spice or just to threaten their recovery will be extremely expensive. Yet they are still subject to some sharp price fluctuations. In 2007, the prices of platinum and palladium at record levels, with palladium, however, was a production surplus - the prices promptly went back down.

Platinum is known to be used for auto catalysts, however - if you wanted to equip all cars of this world so that there would be problems because the metal will become more and more complex needs. Ten tons of ore must be processed to extract by 1 ounce of platinum. Some of the platinum catalysts from being blown into the air and finally stored in our lungs, another part never gets into the recycling, but remains somewhere in old cars, only 30-40 percent of the catalysts are given to recycling companies.

Similarly unfortunate is the situation in terms of recycling for computers, technical toys, iPods, lamps, etc. Many old computer is brought about on huge dumps in third world countries, where there is no chance, its valuable to extract some cases toxic substances and recycle.

The spice metal indium (mobile phones, LCD screens, CIS solar cells) seems to be a problem case to develop the rich resources should supposedly only 5-10 years (see chart above pdf file).
The mobile phone industry is growing unchecked and gets completely over the solar cell producers in a competitive situation for this commodity. The financially stronger of the two industries will probably ultimately decide the race, unless alternatives are found. Indium is used together with a "conductive metal," mined zinc, for which there is no such great use. Recently, surprising new Iidium deposit was discovered in the Erzgebirge!

90% of all the rare metals are currently being supplied by China. Divide the remainder, Russia, Africa, Brazil and other countries, but to a much lesser extent.

Against this background it becomes clear why companies such as fluorescent Osram and Philips have outsourced their production to China. They would otherwise be the Chinese export tariffs mercy. (Against this background, it is particularly absurd that the most environmentally friendly resources do little bulb until 2012, banned throughout the EU. But they had the manufacturers can simply bring in too little return ...).

The following is a brief list of some spice essential metals and their uses:

Antimony
Very rare, brittle semi-metal. Tasteful, including antimony is found in St. Andrew (Harz) and Bieber (Spessart). Industrial processes, however, is mainly stibnite, in Bolivia, Mexico and China, we dismantled. Antimony is important for a variety of alloys, for example in the manufacture of semiconductors. Antimony acts as a sheath means in gold mining.

Coltrane, see tantalum

Gallium
Extremely rare blue-white metal, has a very low melting point and does not oxidize easily, therefore finds it using a protective layer for optical mirror, as a liquid seal for apparatus, which get very hot, also for liquid crystal displays, computer monitors and flat TV screens

Hafnium
Is a non-toxic, highly corrosion-resistant transition metal. Is obtained in a very complicated process from zirconium, the main deposits are in Australia and South Africa, is used in computer chips and in nuclear control rods to control the chain reaction. Hafnium is often alloyed with metals such as niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, resulting in very stable, high-melting and heat-resistant materials. Hafnium is very expensive, used mainly for military technology, nuclear submarines.

Indium
Is a soft heavy metal, non-toxic, is one of the scarcest resources of this earth; is obtained from zinc ore (zinc = conductive metal for indium), the largest mines are in China, Canada and Peru, but there are also sites in Germany, in the Erzgebirge ( Freiberg, Marienberg). Indium has in many ways similar to gallium, it is also used as a conductor in liquid crystal displays (LCDs), touch screens, etc. used as well as an additive in gasoline and control rods in nuclear reactors, for soldering semiconductors for transistors, soldering of nonmetallic materials such as glass and and indium tin oxide ceramics as in solar cells. In addition, indium found in light emitting diodes (LEDs), photo-diodes and use. Indium has a low melting point, when coated glass with indium, it throws back the infrared radiation, thereby limits the passage of heat radiation. Therefore, indium for aircraft and building windows, furnace and refrigerator doors are used. A truly wide range of applications!

The secondary production exceeded 800 tons in 2008 already the primary production (acquiring new), which shows that recycling is becoming more economical but can also be improved technically. Of indium has increased from 97 to 827 Dollar/2002 Dollar/2005. Japan is leading the recovery of indium. At the moment, the price per kilo is about $ 700.
With 300 tons of annual production in 2006 China ahead of Japan leads with 55 tons, Canada 50, Belgium 30, Russia 15, France 10

Iridium
rare, brittle, extremely corrosion-resistant platinum metal, the second most dense metal at all, especially for important alloys.

Palladium
Ductile metal, and alloys for electrical contacts

Platinum
Is a heavy, highly corrosion resistant, ductile transition metal. Platinum is not toxic, its compounds are highly toxic (chemotherapy for cancer). The precious metal is important for automotive catalysts, laboratory equipment, cardiac pacemakers, spark plugs. Nozzles, dental implants, jewelry and much more. Main producers (2005) South Africa (140.1 tons) and Russia (70 tons). Platinum to rhodium and gold in front of the most valuable precious metal and about 90 times more expensive than silver. Therefore, cash and investments. There are two still available bullion coins, the "Platinum Canadian Marple Leaf" and the "Amerian Platinum Eagle."

Tantalum
Is a rare, non-toxic transition metal, it does not react with body fluids, etc. and is therefore in surgery with implants, prostheses, bone nail used. Tantalum has a use temperature up to 2300 ° C, its melting point is 3000 ° C. It is therefore also used in high-performance capacitors, in microelectronics and in cars such as electrolytic capacitors. It is estimated the property of tantalum oxide to insulate the surface of very thin tantalum film is still stable and secure. In aircraft carries with an admixture of tantalum in engines and turbines for their durability and temperature resistance. Tantalum carbide has a melting temperature of 3880 ° C the fourth-highest melting point of all elements and the hardness of a diamond.

Tantalum is not found pure, but always in conjunction with other minerals. Tantalum ores are also known as coltan, which is indispensable for cell phones. Main producing country Australia (825 tonnes), followed by Brazil (250 tonnes). Gained notoriety ensure the Congo, whose Coltanvorkommen for the bloody civil war since 1996 ...

Next may be regarded as spices metals:

Tellurium
Found in various ores and is used as an alloying component in steel and copper alloys.

Terbium
Rare metal that for laser and solid state electronics elements is used.

Bismuth
Brittle metal; spice element that especially in this low-melting alloys for significance.

In times of economic crisis, obviously, the demand for metals is suffering, there are formed, followed in some cases high stock price decline. A price of metals is generally difficult to predict. A certain stable dynamics brings the great demand from China.

Non-ferrous metals on the London (alongside New York and Shanghai) Metal Exchange "LME" traded. However, there only metal wholesalers have access. This three-month contracts are negotiated in commodity prices. Private investors can place bets on the performance of commodities (index funds, certificates) or invest in equity funds, have the raw material mines in its portfolio. These systems are highly risky, because the issuer (bank, financial services) of a certificate of course can go bankrupt.

For private investors seem to me the Spice metals to be interesting, the show almost constant a fairly constant high level of prices per ounce or kg, especially handy when it comes to small amounts is (platinum), which are still in demand with reasonable certainty, despite the crisis and which also seem to be scarce, since no new references are known. Platinum and indium appear to me as quite interesting, since the growth of the computer industry (indium) is not likely to stop in a still intensifying crisis.

Moreover, it seems to me also useful for targeted investments to have recycling companies in the eye, which include the important circuits, increasingly scarce metals such as platinum or indium better. The article quoted the Sunday newspaper shows a graph along with the percentage of recycled content of the respective metals. This is certainly still room for improvement, especially if shortages should occur ...

It might not be a bad idea to buy as platinum and indium, and in a suitable place to store. I keep a safe home for basically safer than a bank. For what do you do when this time has closed for renovations or (currency) reform?

Warning: The above ideas and thought processes are a soliloquy of a bloody laywoman on the subject. But even a blind chicken ...

Some links:
http://www.edelmetall-preise.de/
http:// www.goldseiten.de

http://www.haines-maassen.com/deutsch/indium.html

http://www.goldseiten.de/content/diverses/artikel.php?storyid=1308
About the miraculous discovery in indium-Ore:
http://www.terminmarktwelt.de/cgi-bin/nforum.pl?ST=122854&F=115

I think such a thing such as too unsafe for me ... but interesting nonetheless:
http://www.etfsecurities.com/de/welcome.asp

The Chinese seem to have similar ideas ...:
http://is.gd/1NCk8

PS: Oh yeah, almost forgot: you need money, too, to be able to create something. Too bad too ...

Tags: spice metals , indium , platinum , metals recycling

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