What is Palladium Metal Used For

Palladium scrap metal valueWhat is palladium metal used for? Although Palladium was known in the 15th century for its unusual properties, it was not officially listed as an element until 1751.

True to its name’s meaning from the Greek “Pallus”: Goddess of Wisdom, it eventually made a remarkable recovery. Spanish prospectors felt Palladium was nothing more than an annoying interference to their gold mining and used it only to adulterate gold coins.

It was not until the 1970’s that Palladium’s more useful properties were discovered and the world pollution problem became greatly affected by its use in the Catalytic Converter.

Palladium’s resistance to oxidation and its ability to handle high temperatures (higher than platinum) explains why fifty percent of all Palladium mined worldwide is used in catalytic converters.





Auto catalysts clean up 90% of harmful emissions from internal combustion engines and convert them into water vapor, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. However, Palladium’s other properties ensures its value is not limited to the automotive industry.

So what is palladium metal used for anyway? Palladium’s electrical stability and conductivity makes it valuable in the electronic industry and it is now being used to replace more expensive gold plating. Surgical instruments and jewelry are also made using Palladium because it is malleable and tarnish resistant.

It is also commonly alloyed with gold, silver and copper and set into dental bridges and crowns. The chemical properties of Palladium make it valuable in the manufacturing of commonly used materials such as nylon, polyester, and synthetic rubber.

Mostly surprisingly and probably truest to its names sake, Palladium’s radioactive isotope is now being used in cancer treatments.

Although not quite as rare as Platinum, Palladium is still a scarce resource and is found in a limited number of places throughout the world. It is rare and expensive to mine, making scrap Palladium not only economically valuable, but also environmentally and socially important. At $645 an ounce, Palladium is worth consideration.

The most common source of Palladium scrap is recycled Catalytic converters. However, Palladium scrap can also be found in old jewelry, surgical instruments, and electronics.

This valuable metals usefulness ensures that it will continue to be a sought after resource and its increasing scarcity guarantees that scrap Palladium will be utilized.





As you have read, there are many uses for Palladium. Many scrappers only believe that copper is the most valuable metal. Sure, it is when you compare it with steel but when it comes to the pay day, Palladium per ounce, is worth nearly 300x more money than copper.

I have listed some locations where you can find scrap Palladium but the most overlooked of those mentioned is dental and medical tools.

Setting up an agreement with a dentist or doctor within your area to dispose of their old Palladium tools is an excellent way to boost your cash flow easily.

Just be sure to approach them professionally with a written agreement and you should have no problem.

After reading this article on what is palladium metal used for it is easy to see the potential for you to make reliable money as a scrapper.

I always encourage scrappers to do the right thing and never take any metal that is not free because there is far too many opportunities to do things legally.

The amount of money that you can make as a scrapper simply boils down to how well you are educated about metal.