Rhodium

Rhodium is a rare, hard, silvery-white transition metal in the platinum family. It resists corrosion and reflects light well. In nature, it occurs alongside other precious metals in platinum and nickel ores, often mixed with them as an alloy. It is recovered during ore processing and separated from the accompanying metals; South Africa is the leading producer. Rhodium's main use is in car catalytic converters, where it helps reactions that remove harmful nitrogen oxides from exhaust gases. It is also recycled from worn-out converters. A thin coating of rhodium gives white-gold jewelry a bright, reflective finish and can protect silver against tarnishing. Despite the metal's silvery appearance, its name comes from the Greek word for rose, inspired by a rose-colored rhodium compound.