This Metal Is Worth More Than Gold – And It’s About to Disappear Forever!

Daily Galaxy ^ | May 12, 2025 | Jessica Bennett

[Dr. Sivana]

Read the article, about a thousand words, and not one mention as to why its running out, or where its mined.

The article also does not really tell us why we need it. We can live without osmium jewelry and watches.

So, I asked the Perplexity AI for a list of PRACTICAL uses:

Fountain pen nib tips
Instrument pivots
Electrical contacts
Phonograph needle tips (historically)
Catalysis: Osmium compounds, particularly osmium tetroxide, (important in pharmaceutical manufacturing.)
Microscopy and Forensics: Osmium tetroxide is a critical staining agent in electron microscopy, enhancing the contrast of biological samples by binding to lipids. It is also used in forensic science for fingerprint detection.
Optics and Space Technology: specialized mirror coatings in scientific instruments and space-based UV spectrometers.
Medical Implants
Nanotechnology


Now some of these have viable alternatives (a diamond needle is superior for phonograph records, for instance). But medical implants and electron microscopes sound like great uses.

[Teacher317]

Really? Jewelers can’t find other metals that are anti-corrosion? Why on earth is a high melting point important for jewelry? Are folks putting their valuables into the oven?

[3ZZZ]

Good one!

[Teacher317]

There’s plenty ...........on the Moon...............

Very possible, but then you have to find it... and that's one really big and expensive treasure hunt.

Luckily, Elon Musk is in the lead for getting us there, so hopefully he can get rich from the venture! Poor guy is barely scraping by these days. ;)

[Bob434]

Guess it’s time to reopen my osmium mine... oh wait.

[PUGACHEV]

That’s correct. The supply of a rare item usually increases with a rise in its market value, as marginal deposits become commercially profitable to mine.

[bobbo666]

Yeah, just like “peak oil” bS. Only to ramp up the price on those holding stocks before they open up a “surprise” mine in Whatupifstan.

[Not_Who_U_Think]

I read the summary on Wiki, there a several sources - South Africa, Columbia, Russia and Canada. It’s found in Nichol and platinum ore and in a few placer deposits.

I can’t understand, why with several deposits, we could be running out - much less predicting an end date.

Why, this is just fake news put out by Big Osmium!

[Farmerbob]

[...Fountain pen nib tips]

Will there be a black market for stolen pens like there is for catalytic converters? Might explain why I can’t keep a pen at work for more than a few days.

[PIF]

Osmium, the rarest metal on Earth, is drawing increasing attention not only for its unique properties but also for its staggering value. Currently priced at $1,350 per gram.

—
Opals can go for as much as $49,000 per gram.

[EnderWiggin1970]

Opals are not an element. But this article is nonsense in the way it repeatedly states that osmium will just be "gone."

I assume (not being completely insane) that they actually mean stocks of osmium that have been mined and refined will be used up at current rates by 2026. But since that will cause the price to increase it will spark anyone with the means to mine more to do so and take advantage of the increased profits from doing so - the free market in action. If only journalists like this understood the basics of the free market in action.

The notion that we've somehow used up all the osmium on earth (presumably transmuting what we had via medieval alchemy or nuclear reactions into some other element) is too ridiculous for words.

[AppyPappy]

I’ve got a bunch in my junk drawer

[leopud]

Yes. So-called “journalism” devolved into intellectually immature phenomena - ignorant on so many levels. Typically/usually demonstrates absence of elementary education, absence of general knowledge, and inability to deliver a coherent/meaningful message.

[algore]

I have heard that Silver will be all used up by but the keep finding more. I have heard that we will have commercial fusion in <5 years> ever since I was a small child. of course that actually seems likely now. My local Fusion company has already broken even, but I have not seen those guys out partying lately so I assume things are not going as well as they would like. anyway maybe I will buy a few lbs of osmium so at least I have some just in case

[JimRed]

“Opals can go for as much as $49,000 per gram.”

Just for polishing up nice and looking pretty?

[Moltke]

Journalism ain’t what it used to be.

IA is still practicing. This reads like the typical IA mush.

[Moltke]

Light bulb filaments (the old incandescent type...).

The old German Osram company made lightbulbs. The name is a portmanteau of Osmium and Wolfram, two of the metals used to make the filaments. Save those old, broken lightbulbs!

[PIF]

"Just for polishing up nice and looking pretty?"

Black Opal gemstone polished with vivid blue, green, red, and orange hues

[JimRed]

That sure is pretty!