COMMODITIES METALS

Rhodium, a Rare Platinum Group Metal, and Its

Applications

•••

BY TERENCE BELL Updated March 31, 2019

Rhodium is a rare platinum group metal (PGM) that is chemically stable at high temperatures,
resistant to corrosion and mainly used in the production of automobile catalytic converters.

Properties

• Atomic Symbol: Rh
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 • Atomic Number: 45
• Element Category: Transition metal
• Density: 12.41 g/cm³
• Melting Point: 3567°F (1964°C)
• Boiling Point: 6683°F (3695°C)
• Moh's Hardness: 6.0

Characteristics

Rhodium is a hard, silver-colored metal that is very stable

and has a high melting point. Rhodium metal is resistant
to corrosion and, as a PGM, it shares the group’s
exceptional catalytic properties.

The metal has

a high
reflectance, is
hard and
durable, and
has both a
low electrical
resistance as
well as a low

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 and stable contact resistance.

History

In 1803, William Hyde Wollaston was able to isolate palladium from other PGMs and, consequently, in
1804, he isolated rhodium from the reaction products.

Wollaston dissolved platinum ore in aqua regia (a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids) before
adding ammonium chloride and iron to obtain palladium. He then found that rhodium could be drawn
from the chloride salts that remained.

Wollaston applied aqua regia then a reduction process with hydrogen gas to obtain rhodium metal.
The remaining metal showed a pink hue and was named after the Greek word "rodon", meaning 'rose'.

Production

Rhodium is extracted as a byproduct of platinum and nickel mining. Owing to its rarity and the
complex and expensive process required to isolate the metal, there are very few naturally occurring
ore bodies that provide economical sources of rhodium.

Like most PGMs, rhodium production is focused around

the Bushveld complex in South Africa. The country
accounts for over 80 percent of the world's rhodium
production, while other sources include the Sudbury
basin in Canada and the Norilsk Complex in Russia.

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 PMGs are found in various minerals, including dunite,
chromite, and norite.

The first step in extracting rhodium from the ore is

precipitating precious metals such as gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. The remaining ore is
treated with sodium bisulfate NaHSO4 and melted, resulting in rhodium (III) sulfate, Rh2(SO4)3.

Rhodium hydroxide is then precipitated out using sodium hydroxide, while hydrochloric acid is added
to produce H3RhCl6. This compound is treated with ammonium chloride and sodium nitrite to form a
precipitate of rhodium.

The precipitate is dissolved in hydrochloric acid, and the solution is heated until residual
contaminants are burnt o , leaving behind the pure rhodium metal.

According to Impala Platinum, global production of rhodium is limited to only about 1 million troy
ounces annually (or roughly 28 metric tons) annually, whereas, in comparison, 207 metric tons of
palladium were produced in 2011.

About one-quarter of rhodium production comes from secondary sources, mainly recycled catalytic
converters, while the remainder is extracted from ore. Large rhodium producers include Anglo
Platinum, Norilsk Nickel, and Impala Platinum.

Applications
According to the US Geological Survey, autocatalysts accounted for 77 percent of all rhodium
demand in 2010. Three-way catalytic converters for gasoline engines use rhodium to catalyze the
reduction of nitrogen oxide to nitrogen.

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 Roughly 5 percent to 7 percent of global rhodium consumption is used by the chemical sector.
Rhodium and platinum-rhodium catalysts are used in the production of oxo-alcohol manufacturing
as well as to produce nitric oxide, a raw material for fertilizers, explosives, and nitric acid.

Glass production accounts for a further 3 percent to 6 percent of rhodium consumption each year.
Because of their high melting points, strength and resistance to corrosion, rhodium, and platinum
can be alloyed to form vessels that hold and shape molten glass. Also of importance is that alloys
containing rhodium do not react with, or oxidize, the glass at high temperatures. Other rhodium uses
in glass production include:

• To form bushings, which are used to produce glass fiber by drawing molten glass through holes
(see photo).

• In the production of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) because of the higher temperatures required to
melt raw materials and the quality of glass required.

• In the production of screen glass for cathode ray tube (CRT) displays.

Other uses for rhodium:

• As a finish for jewelry (electroplating white gold)

• As a finish for mirrors
• In optical instruments
• In electrical connections
• In alloys for aircraft turbine engines and spark plugs

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 • In nuclear reactors as a detector of neutron flux levels
• In thermocouples

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