http://arstechnica.com/science/news...acing-precious-platinum-with-ignoble-iron.ars Link above is a news item regarding the ability to replace platinum with iron in a certain catalyst. This might be worrying for precious metal investors (particularly platinum and palladium) as this is one of the main uses of the commodities. I daresay as more research is performed, the requirement of precious metals might be further reduced. The thread title is probably a little too alarmist
Nah. One only needs to look at Gold. Hardly used in industrial applications and is driven by investors and hedgers. My outlook on Platinum is the same. Sure, there will no doubt be a sell off, but she will bounce back to at least match gold. Because, no sensible investor or hedger would allow Platinum to remain a bargain for long. It will only strengthen in the role of being inflation insurance. Demand will change yet remain. /Added Nothing to worry about till they start dumping mined moon rocks in the pool. Got a while to go yet. .
This was my understanding. But the guy who produced "The Gold Tree" shows technology use at 12%. http://www.perthmintbullion.com/blo..._Where_Gold_Comes_From_And_Where_It_Goes.aspx Personally, I'm quite sceptical of this sky-high figure. But the strange thing is, in order to have produced this picture, the guy would have had to do a lot of research. Got any comments on this 12% figure?
My only comment is that this is not 12% per year, it is 12% in history. Thus, as the gold price has increased, the figure is likely down year to year.
Not "might" but definitely "will". That's why, for example, all these predictions about how silver is going to be more expensive than gold because if its scarcity and industrial use are simply wrong. The industry won't pay any price as many people think. They'll find cheaper substitute. Not as ideal as silver, for sure, but much cheaper and more easily obtainable. Take as an example sperm whales. They were massively hunted just less than 100 years ago for their oil, which was used in industry, lamps etc. How many cars are there today that require sperm whale's oil to be put into the engine? Car industry produces cheap synthetic oils now. They are not as good as whale oil, but surely much much cheaper. The moment there is serious shortage of silver, humanity will switch to something else.
The gold/platinum ratio existed before converters. Its still an investment metal, and was still used as money in russia and other contries around that area untill relatively recently..
