Precious Metal

Precious Metal, Precious Metals, Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium, Coins

Palladium Mines

Palladium is one of the rarest metals in the world and like its sister platinum, is also very expensive and valuable as a result. Palladium is mined by mechanical and manual extraction in many places across the world, but what makes it so difficult to extract is that it is never bunched up in one place. Palladium and Platinum are also generally attached to greater amounts of other precious metals, which adds more complexity to the process. Although there are large stores of platinum across the world, getting to them can be very tough, which is why mining is still such an important profession in the world. The truth is that we need precious metals, but we don’t like to deal with the difficulties of extracting them.

Palladium Mining

When most people think about mining, they probably think about a guy in a mine with a pickaxe hammering away all day for a few nuggets of gold. Although this is still a useful process for many parts of the world, it simply doesn’t work for difficult to extract minerals such as palladium. Palladium mining is actually a very intricate process because of the fact that palladium is so spread out under the surface and in the mines. Although there is a lot of palladium in various parts of the world, most of it lies in North America and South Africa. There are also deposits in Russia and South America.

Selling Palladium

Most investors learn the process of buying precious metals very quickly. After all, the process is nothing more than contacting a dealer and then waiting for the right time to buy. However, the trick comes when trying to cash out and deciding who to sell to and when to do it. Selling palladium in particular can be tough because it is a much rarer metal and some dealers might not be willing to buy. Therefore, you are going to need to know not only when to cash out, but where you can cash out without losing all of your profit in the process. Well, lucky for you we are happy to help, so keep reading to learn more!

Buying Palladium

Before you start reading this, I want to warn you that investing in precious metals is addicting. Not only is it a great way to make money with little risk, but it is also an amazing feeling to spend some money and watch a box of bars and coins show up. I mean, who else do you know that has a safe full of gold, silver, and other precious metals? Chances are, you will be the first and that is a very good feeling. Anyway, when people ask me about investing in precious metals or for any secrets, I tell them to try and diversify the metals that they buy. Although many people buy gold and silver, a lot of investors completely overlook the potential of palladium and its sister metal platinum. Not only are both of these metals rare and expensive, but they are also beautiful and have a lot of uses outside of jewelry.

Palladium Refining

Palladium, like all other precious metals, is generally not extracted on its own and in order to separate it into pure palladium bullion it has to go through a detailed refining process. Palladium refining is actually very similar to platinum refining because both metals are found bonded to others and are widely dispersed in the crust of the Earth. However, this doesn’t mean it is impossible for do it yourself refiners, but it does mean you will need some equipment to get started. Even if you aren’t interesting in refining palladium yourself, this guide might help you learn a little bit more about how it works and why metals are so expensive when they finally make it to the market.

Palladium Coins

It is no secret that buying and investing in precious metals is one of the surest ways to diversify and protect your assets over the long term. With the way the stock markets have performed and with the struggling economies world wide, it is no surprise that people are constantly looking for new ways to invest. Well, when it comes to investing in precious metals, most people tend to overlook some of the best ways to make money in the market. Just as with anything else, buying the unheard of metals can be a secret ticket to success. That is why I recommend buying palladium while everyone else buys gold and silver.

Palladium Dealers

Palladium is a precious metal that has qualities very similar to platinum, while also being a bit more versatile. Palladium holds its value very well because it is rare and difficult to extract, which makes it a prime target for savvy investors. If you are looking to start investing in palladium or are considering adding palladium coins and bars to your precious metal portfolio, then use this guide as a starting point. We are going to outline how you can find good platinum dealers and what you need to be cautious of in the process. Investing in precious metals is a great way to make a lot of money over the long haul, but you have to buy it right to get the most return.

Palladium Bars

How many precious metals can you name without having to pull up Wikipedia? A lot of people can name gold, silver, and maybe platinum, but usually that is about it. Most people hear the word “palladium” and probably mistake it for the more popular metal, platinum because they sound alike and even look alike. However, although palladium and platinum have very similar qualities, they are completely different metals. However, palladium is still a precious metal nonetheless and therefore makes a great investment for someone looking to diversify their portfolio and begin investing in precious metals. If you’d like to learn more about palladium and palladium bars, then you’ve found the right place, because we have assembled this brief guide to palladium investing.

What is Palladium

Palladium is a metallic element in the second series of transition elements in the periodic system with symbol "Pd". Palladium was discovered by English chemist and physicist William Hyde Wollaston in 1803 who named it after the asteroid Pallas which in turn was named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena.

Next to platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium, palladium is an element of so-called platinum group metals which have similar properties.

History of Palladium

As well as platinum, palladium does not have such rich history and tradition than gold and silver which have been highly prized precious metals since the ancient times. Because palladium is one of the platinum group metals its history is very closely tied to history of platinum.

Palladium's close ties with platinum also clearly indicate its discovery in 1803. Palladium was discovered by English chemist and physicist William Hyde Wollaston while he was developing method for processing platinum ore. English scientist named the newly discovered metal after asteroid Pallas which in turn was named after epithet of the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena.

Palladium Uses

For its outstanding properties palladium has many uses today. About half of world's production of palladium is being used in automotive industry for making catalytic converters. Palladium's outstanding catalytic properties, resistance to oxidation and to high temperatures makes it perfect material for autocatalysts. Palladium can absorb up to 90% of harmful emissions from auto exhaust and convert them into less harmful emissions. Besides that palladium tolerates higher temperatures than platinum which is also used as a catalytic converter, however, platinum is much more expensive and for that reason is being widely replaced with palladium.

Palladium Investment

Palladium investment offers similar opportunities than investments in other precious metals although it is important to mention that palladium like platinum does not have such long tradition in the financial sector. Besides that palladium is also much less popular investment option in compare with gold and silver.

However, its outstanding properties which are very similar to much more expensive platinum made palladium very desirable precious metal in industry and especially for making catalytic converters.

Saving in Palladium

Saving in palladium also offers similar opportunities than saving in other precious metals. However, as well as its sister metal platinum, palladium does not have a long tradition in the financial sector in compare to gold and silver and for that reason saving in palladium is less popular.

Nevertheless, palladium is a precious metal which is more valuable than silver and is being purchased and sold as all other precious metals. For that reason saving in palladium offers certain security which is much bigger than saving in any kind of currency or trusting your money to some sort of saving banks or companies. Because future can bring almost everything including inflation which is the greatest fear of all savers, saving in any kind of precious metal including palladium provides great alternative to traditional saving options.

Advantages of Palladium Investment

Investing in Palladium and its advantages

Although investment in all precious metals are primary attractive for safety of investments, investment in precious metals including palladium can be also very profitable. Besides profit which is the primal interest of any investor palladium investment also offers certain advantages in compare to other investment options.

As already mentioned the greatest advantage of palladium investment is minimal risk of your investment in compare to investing in stocks or trusting your money to some sort of investment funds. The crisis of the financial sector in the second half of the year 2008 clearly showed the vulnerability of current financial system which also greatly effected many investments worldwide. Thus considering safety before investing your money should not be neglected.

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Advantages of Saving in Palladium

What are the advantages in saving in Palladium

Since primal interest of all who are saving for their future is to protect their savings from inflation and to be able to reach their savings whenever necessary saving in precious metals including palladium offers such saving option and incomparable greater safety than trusting money to some sort of saving banks or companes. Safety of your savings should be very seriously considered what clearly showed the crisis of financial sector in October 2008 which has not end yet, while no one really knows how and when it will end despite the measures that were taken by the governments.

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Disadvantages of Palladium Investment

Despite many advantages palladium investment has also its disadvantages especially in compare to investments in gold. If safety and reliability are one of palladium's greatest advantages they are at the same time also its disadvantages. Palladium has a short history in the financial sector and has not proved itself during crisis in contrary to silver and gold which are historically proved among the most desired things during the crisis.

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Disadvantages of Saving in Palladium

If palladium offers similar advantages than other precious metals it also brings certain disadvantages which are in common to all precious metals. Owning physical palladium requires appropriate storage which can represent additional costs or at least some time for considering how to store it appropriately. Keeping physical palladium at home has besides advantages also certain disadvantages. It might be true that you can reach it whenever you feel like it, however, you need a good safe or place to store it because it is not in your interest anyone knowing anything about amounts of palladium you own as well as about its hiding place. Having palladium like anything else of greater value at your home might result "uninvited visitors" as soon as wrong person or persons even suspect you could have anything of greater value including palladium at your home.

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Palladium Investment - Saving Options

Palladium investment/saving options include investments and savings in physical palladium by purchase of palladium bullion bars or palladium bullion coins as well as investing in palladium mining companies. Palladium bullion bars and coins can be purchased at major banks, stores selling precious metals as well as from individuals selling palladium bullion bars or coins.

There are several sizes of palladium bars available on the market ranging from 1 to 100 ounces, while there is relatively small amount of different palladium coins. Palladium has a short history in the financial sector, while only few states have issued palladium coins of which majority are special commemorative coins. The first state which have issued palladium coins was Tonga in 1967 as commemoration of the coronation of King Tupou IV. Portugal issued palladium coins as part of series with other metals in the late 1980's, while France issued a 100 Franc palladium bullion coin in 1987. In the same year was also issued a palladium commemorative coin by the Isle of Man.

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