rs to promote conversion of unburned hydrocarbons. (Hilliard FFF1) However, due to stricter hydrocarbon standards stemming from the Clean Air Act of 1990, platinum share of the automobile catalyst market is being eroded by palladium, another significant PGM, because of its superior hydrocarbon control and smaller price tag.Recently, demand for platinum has drastically increased in the electronics and glass industries where the unique physical and chemical properties of platinum can be fully exploited. A need for high-quality glass for use in liquid crystal displays and cathode ray tubes drove demand for platinum in the glass industry, while increases in computer hard disk production (surface coated with platinum alloys) fueled demand in the electronic industry. Likewise, demand for platinum in biotechnology has increased due to the expanding use of platinum salts in cancer chemotherapy.As mentioned throughout, platinum has been subject to fluctuations in demand throughout recent history; however, changes in supply have also had major effects upon platinum distribution, prices, and applications. For the third consecutive year, slow shipments from Russia in the first half of 1998 caused tightness in the major PGM market that resulted in higher prices. (Hilliard FFF3) The auto industry maintained its role as the leading consumer of PGM metals in 1998, accumulating 35 percent of platinum sales worldwide. Yet, despite growth in auto sales during this time period, demand for platinum by the auto industry fell almost 5 percent to 56,900 kilograms. This change in consumption is a direct result of tighter control upon hydrocarbon emissions from the Clean Air Act of 1990. Platinum based catalyst technology is now being traded on a large scale for palladium-based catalysts due to palladium’s increased hydrocarbon emission control and cheaper price tag. Therefore, over time, it will be likely that platinum use will be slowly phased out of th...
