BECKlog

Until recently I had not known that so-called "spice metals" are. This term refers mostly very rare metallic elements, particularly for modern technologies, including key technologies and irreplaceable because of their special properties (still) are inevitable. 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 Coltran. Light-emitting diodes (LED lights) come without gallium or indium, depending on the color, nothing. Also, flat panel displays, LED displays (screens), but also CIS solar cells require indium.

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

Platinum is known to be used for automotive catalytic converters, but - 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. A portion of the platinum from catalytic converters is blown into the air and finally stored in our lungs, while others never get 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 computers end up 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 for 5-10 years (see chart above pdf file).
The mobile phone industry is growing unchecked and totally gets to 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 together with a "conductive metal", zinc degraded, 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 in 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, hardly any resources benötigende bulb 2012 is banned throughout the EU. But they had the manufacturers can just 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, antimony is found among others in St. Andrew Berg (resin) and Bieber (Spessart). Industrial processes, however, is particularly stibnite, in Bolivia, Mexico and China, we mined. Antimony is important for a variety of alloys, eg in the manufacture of semiconductors. Antimony acts as a sheath means in gold mining.

Coltran, see tantalum

Gallium
An extremely rare blue-white metal, has a very low melting point and does not oxidize easily, therefore finds it using protective coating for optical mirrors, 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 point and heat-resistant materials. Hafnium is very expensive, used mainly for military technology, nuclear submarines.

Indium
Is a soft heavy metal, nontoxic, is one of the scarcest resources of this earth, is made ​​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 ceramic as in solar cells. Also found in indium-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes and photo use. Indium has a very low melting point, when coating glass with indium, it throws back the infrared radiation, thus 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 is 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 is ahead of Japan 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, for electrical contacts and alloys

Platinum
Is a heavy, very 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, with 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. Hence, cash and investment. 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 and therefore the like in surgery with implants, prostheses, bone nail employed. 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 contributes an admixture of tantalum in engines and turbines for their resistance 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 does not occur in pure form but always in conjunction with other minerals. Tantalum ores are also known as coltan, which is indispensable for mobile phones. Main producing country Australia (825 tons), followed by Brazil (250 tonnes). Gained notoriety ensure the Congo, whose Coltanvorkommen for the bloody civil war since 1996 ...

It can further be seen as spice 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 meaning.

In times of economic crisis, of course, the demand for metals is suffering, it is followed in some cases are high inventories of falling prices. A price of metals is generally difficult to predict. A certain constant momentum brings the great demand from China.

Non-ferrous metals on the London (alongside New York and Shanghai) Metal Exchange "LME" traded. However, there is only metal wholesalers have access. Here are the three-month contracts 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 however very risky, because the issuer (bank, financial service providers) a certificate of course you 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 dealing with small quantities 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 company in the eye, which include the major 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 occur should ...

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

Warning: The above ideas and thoughts are a soliloquy of a bloody laywoman on this issue. 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

This is what I think, for example, too uncertain for me ... but still interesting:
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 create what. Too bad too ...

Tags: spice metals , indium , Platinum , metals recycling

This article was posted on Sunday, 12 Created July 2009 at 18:19 and is filed mammonism stored. Responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed to be pursued. It is possible to to this Article reply or a trackback to send from your own site.

Error? Please tell us korrektor@zeitgeist-online.de