September 8, 2016 – As of now, Degussa Goldhandel is the first dealer in precious metals worldwide to offer exclusive iridium and ruthenium bars. Seven of the eight precious metals – the other five being gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium – are now available from the company in the form of bars, with Degussa now maintaining the most varied product portfolio in the bullion context.
1 oz Degussa iridium and ruthenium bars.
Wolfgang Wrzesniok-Rossbach, Degussa CEO, says of the expansion of the company’s product range, “This development has set new standards in terms of the diversity of the products available on the precious metals market.” He continues, “For Degussa, it represents a step towards the attainment of our goal of taking on a pioneering role within the industry and of being able to offer our customers not only the very best in terms of quality, but also the most diverse assortment of products. In addition to our range of classic investment products and precious gifts, we also place great value on being able to supply special and rare items to lovers of such products. Degussa’s new iridium and ruthenium bars can therefore also be purchased as special collector’s items and even make wonderful gifts.”
1 oz Degussa iridium and ruthenium bars.
The Degussa iridium and ruthenium bars are produced by means of a complex metallurgical procedure. They are available in one-ounce weights and bear the Degussa sun/moon logo as well as markings indicating the highest degree of fineness for a precious metal, 999.0.
The possible uses of iridium and ruthenium in the industrial context are extremely diverse. Both of these industrial metals are used in medical technology, mechanical engineering and electrical or chemical industry applications, by way of example. Degussa also offers iridium and ruthenium in powder form to its industrial customers.
The Greek goddess Iris, after whom iridium was named. Attic red-figure pelike of the Providence Painter, mid-5th cent. BC.
Iridium is often used as a component of alloys in this context, according to the necessary durability to pieces of jewellery that are worn constantly, such as wedding rings. Iridium is also used in electrodes for spark plugs, pen nibs or as a component of ballpoint pen refills.
Similarly to iridium, ruthenium is a silver-white, hard and brittle metal. It is used, for example, in computer hard drives, dental fillings or in alloys of palladium or platinum as a means of enhancing hardness. In addition, ruthenium is used in catalysts for organic syntheses.
Further information can be found on the website of Degussa Group’s subsidiary company Sharps Pixley.
The elementary facts are available at Wikipedia, both about iridium and ruthenium.