closed Osmium Beads, 4-6 grams, $36 USD/gram

[JoeLS]

Arc melted 4-6 gram osmium beads displaying the characteristic blue color of osmium metal. Asking 36 USD/gram, or the equivalent in trade.

Osmium has an atomic number of 77, and lies below iron and ruthenium in the periodic table, in the platinum group of noble metals. There is general agreement that osmium is the rarest stable element in the earth's crust, considerably rarer than gold and platinum. It is one of only four elements with a melting temperature above 3000°C-- higher than the boiling temperature of iron. It is the densest of all naturally occurring elements, with a specific gravity of 22.59, twice that of lead. Supply of the metal is very limited. Worldwide annual production is only about 500 kg. This one troy ounce ingot is to annual osmium production what 100,000 tons of iron is to annual iron production. Osmium currently is the least utilized of the platinum group metals, its applications being limited to serving as a catalyst in petroleum refining, recovering occult fingerprints in forensics, the production of super hard and chemically resistant alloys, and as a stain in transmission electron microscopy. As new uses are discovered, the price of the metal no doubt will rise.

 

Osmium is almost always traded as a powder. Given its extremely high melting point, fused pieces such as these ingots are difficult to fabricate and are even rarer than the metal itself. Ingots of sintered powder are available, but the true character of the metal, including the unique blue tint of its luster, can be seen only in fairly large pieces that have been formed by melting. Osmium is one of the least chemically reactive metals. Acids, including aqua regia, don't touch it. Very fine osmium powder slowly reacts with oxygen in air to produce a toxic and volatile oxide, but only the powder does this. Ingots formed by melting or by high quality sintering do not oxidize at terrestrial temperatures and are completely safe to handle. They are a choking hazard, however, so keep them away from small children.

As can be seen in the photographs, most of these beads have a pockmark or small cavity.  This is a common artifact of arc melting.

 

[ChrisSilver]

Topic moved. Please post listings in the correct section on the forum. 

Only Gold, Silver and Platinum can be posted in the PM trading sections. As per the Oxford English definition of precious metals. 

Please post all other non PM metals for sale in the non PM trade section. Thanks