[datura]

One problem with the palladium catalysts is that the petroleum refineries use it to crack the crude. By the train car load. Having bought palladium catalysts for organic chem reactions, the idea of paying for multiple train cars full makes me shudder.

Platinum group metals are present in the Earth's crust at a much higher percentage than thought. It's just a matter of how and where one looks. Same with gold. Sadly, those who know that have a pretty good corner on the difference. Converting the monoatomic form to its' metallic base is an option that has been overlooked for years, since the testing equipment is not set up to look for the white powder form.

[Talking_Mouse]

For those of us who are not as gifted as you in understanding palladium catalysts (me for instance) could you explain why it is more expensive to use nickel than platinum in ways we can understand. Thank you.

[monocle]

It is ironic that most of North America's platinum is co-produced from Canadian nickel mines.