Ruthenium is a rare
transition metal belonging to the
platinum group of the
periodic table. Like the other metals of its group, ruthenium is inert to most other chemicals. The
Baltic German scientist
Karl Ernst Claus discovered the element in 1844, and named it after
Ruthenia. Ruthenium usually occurs as a minor component of
platinum ores; annual production is about 20
tonnes. Most ruthenium produced is used for wear-resistant electrical contacts and the production of thick-film resistors. A minor application of ruthenium is its use in some platinum
alloys, and, like many elements located near platinum, is used in automobile
catalytic converters.Photograph:
Heinrich Pniok
Ruthenium is a rare
transition metal belonging to the
platinum group of the
periodic table. Like the other metals of its group, ruthenium is inert to most other chemicals. The
Baltic German scientist
Karl Ernst Claus discovered the element in 1844, and named it after
Ruthenia. Ruthenium usually occurs as a minor component of
platinum ores; annual production is about 20
tonnes. Most ruthenium produced is used for wear-resistant electrical contacts and the production of thick-film resistors. A minor application of ruthenium is its use in some platinum
alloys, and, like many elements located near platinum, is used in automobile
catalytic converters.Photograph:
Heinrich Pniok