|U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1224|
David R. Wilburn and Donald I. Bleiwas
The United States is dependent on imports of platinum-group metals (PGMs), which includes platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, and iridium. PGMs are used in a wide variety of applications, including vehicle catalysts for controlling vehicle pollution, chemical catalysts and coatings, dental alloys, electronic components and computer hard discs, fuel cells for power generation, glassmaking equipment, investment coinage, jewelry, medicines, and petroleum catalysts for gasoline refining. A potential application for PGMs in the future is fuel cells. In 2002, the United States relied on imports for approximately 93 percent of its platinum requirements and 69 percent of its palladium requirements. Most production of PGMs originates from only two countries, Russia and South Africa. The worldwide physical supply of PGMs is influenced by cost of production, environmental consequences, government policies, industry decisions, market price, sociocultural trends, substitution issues, and technological factors.
After studying these factors, this study projects that world platinum production capacity, an approximation of maximum supply, could increase by as much as 69,000 kg from primary capacity and 22,000 kg from recycling, or 38 percent between 2003 and 2010. World production capacity of palladium could increase by as much as 89,000 kg from primary capacity and 107,000 kg from recycling, or 68 percent between 2003 and 2010. World production capacity of other PGMs could increase by as much as 10,500 kg from primary capacity and 7,100 kg from recycling, or 25 percent between 2003 and 2010, as new primary capacity comes on line and with increased recycling of PGM from autocatalysts and electronics. Assuming historical average annual growth levels over the 1985 to 2003 period, minimum platinum use, based on primary platinum purchases and recycling estimates, use could increase by about 65,000 kg between 2003 and 2010, 66 percent from primary purchases and 34 percent from recycling. Palladium use could increase by about 140,000 kg between 2003 and 2010, 14 percent from primary purchases and 76 percent from recycling. Actual supply and demand would likely fall between these levels.
This report is available in Adobe Acrobat format.
Open-File Report 2004-1224 [885-KB PDF].
For scientific questions or comments concerning this report, contact David R. Wilburn.
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