What is Iridium Metal? Properties, Uses & Market Value

Iridium is among the rarest and most corrosion-resistant metals on Earth—10 times rarer than gold. Named after Iris, the Greek goddess of rainbows, this platinum-group metal (PGM) is critical for aerospace, medicine, and green energy. At Dingfeng Precious Metals, we specialize in iridium sourcing, refining, and recycling, helping industries secure this strategic material.

Section 1: Iridium’s Unique Properties (H2)

• Scientific Data:
• Melting point: 2,466°C (higher than tungsten).
• Density: 22.56 g/cm³ (2nd densest element after osmium).
• Corrosion resistance: Unaffected by acids, including aqua regia.
• Comparison Table (H3):

  Property	Iridium	Platinum	Gold
  Density (g/cm³)	22.56	21.45	19.32
  Melting Point (°C)	2,466	1,768	1,064
  Annual Production (kg)	~7,500	~180,000	~3,100,000

Section 2: Top 5 Industrial Uses of Iridium (H2) (Iridium uses)

1. Spark Plugs (Automotive):
• Iridium-tipped electrodes last 4x longer than platinum (NGK/Denso patents).
• "Dingfeng recycles 500+ kg/year from used spark plugs—ask about our buyback program."
2. Hydrogen Fuel Cells:
• PEM electrolyzers require 0.5–1g iridium/kW (BloombergNEF 2024).
3. Aerospace:
• Satellite thrusters, rocket engine linings (SpaceX’s Raptor engine uses iridium alloys).
4. Medical Devices:
• Radioisotope iridium-192 for cancer brachytherapy.
5. Electronics:
• Crucial for 3nm semiconductor chips (TSMC/Samsung).

CTA (Dingfeng Focus):

"Need iridium for R&D or manufacturing?
Dingfeng Precious Metals supplies 99.95% pure iridium pellets with full assay certification.