PLATINUM Documentary: Mining, Science and History

In this platinum documentary, we explore platinum mining, science, history, and the future outlook for this truly unique commodity.

As one of the lesser known, but nonetheless vital precious metals, platinum has a long history of being used for jewelry and ornamentation, reaching back to the ancient Egyptian empire, having been discovered on a coffin unearthed in Thebes, estimated to be from the 7th century BC.

Modern day uses of platinum include being a key element in catalytic converters for vehicles , as a catalyst in the chemical industry, and even in the creation of life-saving anti-cancer drugs.

In this platinum documentary, we explore this exclusive metal that befuddled miners and scientists alike when it was first discovered. Dubbed ‘platina’ or ‘little silver’ by the Spanish Conquistadors, the truth is, platinum is so much more than meets the eye.

00:00 Intro
01:19 What is Platinum?
06:16 How is Platinum Mined?
08:37 A History of Platinum
15:09 The Future of Platinum

#platinum #preciousmetals

[huntredoctober]

Back in the 1970's I was given a piece of rock from a mining company in South Africa with a 3mm wide vein of platinum and gold running through it, from the Merensky Reef, Rustenberg Platinum mines. I still have this rock sample today. It also triggered off a lifetime interest in Geology and collecting mineral specimens from across the world.

[dsw]

I used to work in analytical chemistry where we'd use platinum for the electrolytic deposition of copper. One day we spent hours trying to find a platinum anode that had gone missing, after 4 hours we gave up. Next day the facility electrician was wondering why his soldering iron wasn't melting a piece of solder, even though it was hot. He'd picked up the platinum electrode thinking it was a piece of tin/silver solder that he'd left behind!

[sankalp]

Platinum is a dream metal for the chemist and materials Engineer. So versatile

[MrMedictom]

I used to be a silver-plating room operator for a medical device manufacturer. During my training, I was told that platinum is actually the best metal conductor of electrical current, but silver was a good cost-efficient alternative. The two years I spent on that job sparked an interest in chemistry (metallurgy in particular) that I wish I'd discovered in high school. This is a fascinating video, and I thank you for sharing it!

[Osirus]

Very well done! I am an assayer at a palladium mine and I found the history to be very enlightening. Thank you.

[kenweis]

Platinum is way undervalued for how rare it is

[dudemaker]

I stumbled across this channel about a month ago since I had to do research for a group project about Atomic Fuel and its rise. I was researching and researching when I stumbled across commodity culture! Now I don't only watch the videos for projects, but I was them for knowledge! well done :D (I just can't wait for the channel to explode)

[Benjybass]

Platinum has also been used in the manufacturing of Flutes (for those who can afford them), such as William Kincaid’s Verne Q. Powell Flute. It was auctioned off at 187, 000$ in 1986.

[sandmanslim]

Your platinum documentary got my attention. Your channel is incredible!

[lowgyi]

Your channel deserves more viewers and subscribers

[Beerbatter]

Super interesting and very well produced. I enjoyed the subject and learned aspects of the metal I didn't know.

[guccilibrarian]

This is such a good idea for a channel - I'm glad I found it! I'm not an investor or anything - I just really like to learn about the resources we use so frequently in our lives without even knowing it. I'm going into the field of mining engineering, which is why this video on platinum piqued my interest, and now that it has, I'm excited to watch more of them!

[vytautasvaicys]

Top notch video.

Surprised it is not a million views. I guess your content is too high of quality and not "viral enough."

Keep up the good work. History always recognizes and rewards the greats.

[dondavis]

I've always wondered about platinum production and history, not to mention finding out about its many uses. Thanks so much for this fascinating presentation! I really enjoyed it.

[mmariaveiga]

One note: The objective of the expedition in which António de Ulloa participated, wanted to identify precisely the shape of the Earth (how flattened is the Earth Globe in the Poles) not to demonstrate whether the Earth is flat. They needed to measure a meridian to do that. (Actually, to measure 2 meridians, the other in Lapland).
Another note: Everybody knew in 1735 that the Earth is NOT flat. The expedition Magellan-El Cano (1519-1522), founded by the Spanish Crown had gone around the Globe: matter put to rest.
I have found the rest of the clip very interesting.

[weldmachine]

The marks of a well produced video.
This video definitely hits that mark.
Good editing and information that makes you want to know more.
Thanks for taking the time to produce this video.

[ps]

Platinum is even less reactive than gold and used as catalyst more often. The only reason why gold is more expensive because of Human emotional and cultural reason (it is easier to use gold as currency due to its relative abundance). Hence higher trading volume leads to higher price.

[HolySoliDeoGloria]

8:45 The purpose of the French Geodesic Mission to the Equator was NOT to prove that the Earth wasn't flat (it's not), and it was not then widely believed (nor for many centuries before then) that the Earth was flat. The main purpose of the mission was to measure the length of a degree of latitude near the Equator, and thereby to calculate the Earth's radius. Part of the purpose was also to determine whether the Earth was wider around the Equator or around the poles.

[evebaker]

All your videos are great, ty for the education

[richpaydirt]

This video was somewhat interesting as explorational history but there was very little information at all on the early and modern mining methods of platinum, extraction and production.