Precious metals

A precious metal is a rare metallic chemical element of high economic value. Chemically, the precious metals are less reactive than most elements and have high luster, are softer or more ductile, and have higher melting points than other metals.The best-known precious metals are gold and silver having its uses in art, jewellery and coinage apart from the industrial use. Other precious metals include the platinum group metals: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum, of which platinum is the most widely traded.   

The demand for precious metals is driven not only by their practical use, but also by their role as investments and store of value. Rhodium is usually the most expensive of the precious metals, over 4.5 times more expensive than platinum and on the other hand silver is substantially the less expensive one of all other precious metals,but is often traditionally considered a precious metal for its role in coinage and jewellery.