Here at Hill Metal Recycling, we've spent more than 25 years working as the most trusted scrap metal recycling company in Essex.
Our team of dedicated scrap metal merchants can handle all kinds of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, providing you with the best prices and instant payment.
Selling metal can be extremely lucrative, and in this article, our team will examine some of the most expensive metals in the world.
What are the most expensive metals in the world?
For the purposes of this article, we'll focus on precious metals.
While metal prices are always fluctuating, with precious metals you can more or less be sure that you will be able to get a good price for them if you own or come across them.
The three main factors that dictate the price of metal are scarcity, what the metal is used for, and the market's demand – qualities that all precious metals possess.
Some of the most expensive metals in the world include:
Rhodium
Frequently topping lists of the world's most expensive metals, rhodium is both extremely practical and incredibly rare – which is what makes its price, often, so high.
Corrosion resistant, it is largely used when manufacturing catalytic converters which play a crucial role in the production of cars and other road vehicles.
As well as this, rhodium is used in the jewellery industry as a plating material – particularly in white gold pieces.
Palladium
Again, palladium is rare, dense and corrosion resistant, and just like rhodium, it is frequently used for industrial applications such as the manufacture of catalytic converters.
It is both its scarcity and large demand from the automotive industry that has driven up the price of this precious metal.
Gold
Perhaps the most famous of all the precious metals, gold is commonly associated with jewellery but it has a wide range of other uses.
Gold is great at conducting electricity, which has seen it used in a whole host of electrical applications, and its corrosion resistant nature also sees it regularly used for medical and dental implants.
However, perhaps its most common use is for currency, with coins worldwide made from this precious metal.
Platinum
Often confused with silver due to its similar colour, platinum has been one of the world's most expensive precious metals since ancient times.
It is rarer than gold but can be used for similar applications and is also commonplace in the automotive industry, specifically for catalytic converters like palladium and rhodium.
Iridium
Iridium is one of the world's rarest naturally occurring elements, which is why it commands such a high price.
Due to its extremely hard and robust nature and high melting point, it is usually used to manufacture spark plugs and other electronic applications and components.
If you're looking to responsibly dispose of scrap metal, Hill Metal Recycling is here to help. Operating a leading scrap metal recycling service in Harlow and across Essex, pay a visit to our depot today or give us a call to receive a free quote.