Full Text for January 2012, Volume 56, Number 1

Articles in This Issue:

Sustainability Reporting in the Platinum Group Metals Mining Sector
As the platinum group metals (pgms) are increasingly used in a range of environmentally-related technologies such as catalytic converters, the global mining industry has embraced the need to incorporate sustainable development into projects and governance, leading to a surge in the use of annual sustainability reporting. Gavin Mudd of Monash University, Australia, examines the approach to sustainability reporting and assesses the extent and detail of reporting by pgm mining companies. This paper also analyses the data reported and its relationship to key production aspects such as ore grade and project scale. The pgms mining sector appears to be a global leader in the breadth and depth of sustainability reporting, providing a valuable basis for understanding the major issues facing the industry and enabling strategic planning for the future.

Recycling the Platinum Group Metals in Europe
As pgms are used in applications ranging from chemical process catalysis to automotive emissions control and sustainable energy production such as photovoltaics and fuel cells, the competition between applications leads to increased pressure on supply. Christian Hagelüken from Umicore AG & Co KG, Germany, analyses the recycling process and discusses the technical and market challenges. The main barriers to recycling the pgms are collecting the scrap and the capacity and technical capabilities of recycling chains around the world. Economic and legislative drivers are also important. The "seven conditions" for effective recycling and their impact within Europe are explained in this article and case studies are included to highlight the current recycling rates for pgm materials from industrial, automotive and consumer applications.

New Platinum Alloy Catalysts for Nitric Acid Production
Platinum-based catalytic gauzes are used in the production of nitric acid by ammonia oxidation under pressures of 0.1–0.9 MPa at 800–900°C. The mechanical properties can be improved by alloying with rhodium and the rare earth metals are found to have a strengthening effect on platinum and its alloys. This collaborative study led by Liangwei Chen and his team from Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming Institute of Precious Metals and Kunming Metallurgy College, China, investigated a platinum-palladium-rhodium-cerium alloy (Pt-4Pd-3.5Rh-0.1Ce) (wt%), which was found to have better mechanical properties and performance for industrial atmospheric and medium pressure reactors.

Challenges for Platinum Group Metals in Future Emissions Control Technology
Since their conception in the first decade of the twentieth century, pgms have played a major role in automotive emissions control catalysts. In this issue's Final Analysis, Paul Millington and Andrew York from Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Sonning Common, UK, summarise the developmentof autocatalysts and look at the role and challenges of pgms in the future of emissions control. As there is an increasing emphasis on greenhouse gas emissions, worldwide legislation will continue to tighten and encompass new vehicle types, forcing engine and vehicle manufacturers to improve engine designs and power trains. The authors conclude that thrifting of the pgms will remain important, while the catalyst still needs to operate efficiently, presenting new challenges to catalyst chemists and technologists.

Conference Reviews:
Faraday Discussion 155: Artificial Photosynthesis was held at the University of Edinburgh, UK, from 5th–7th September 2011. This conference was dedicated to the topic of artificial photosynthesis and the specific problem of utilising solar energy as a direct supplement to our current energy supplies. This review by Anthony Harriman of Newcastle University, UK, focuses on presentations dealing with the pgms.

Diesel Emissions Conference India 2011 was held in Delhi on 5th–7th September 2011. This review by Milan Kapoor from Johnson Matthey Catalysts, focuses on the use of selective catalytic reduction technology for controlling diesel NOx emissions and the development of the AUS 32 market in India.

Book Review:
William Jones from the University of Rochester, USA, reviews "Iridium Catalysis", edited by Pher G. Andersson. This book includes a collection of modern applications of iridium organometallic complexes for the catalysis of organic reactions. The eight chapters cover many types of reactions and provide comprehensive up-to-date coverage of both the scope and limitations of the catalyst, as highlighted in the review.

Other Items:
Also included in this issue is a summary of Johnson Matthey's latest report on the pgm market, "Platinum 2011 Interim Review", which was released on 15th November 2011. The supply and demand of the pgms was covered and a special feature on non-road mobile machinery was also included.

Contact
The Editor, Platinum Metals Review, Johnson Matthey PLC, Orchard Road, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 5HE, United Kingdom; Fax +44 (0) 1763 256359; Email jmpmr@matthey.com

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