Symbol: Pt (you can see where they got that from)
Atomic number: 78
Overview: Platinum is one of the rarest substances on Earth. You might think Giant Pandas are rare but they're as common as pigeons compared to Platinum. As for where the man in search of Platinum might best look for the stuff, South Africa's probably the safest bet - 80% of all the world's Platinum hails from there.
Discovered: Since it occurs naturally, it's quite possible that primitive man chanced upon Platinum. While there is some evidence to suggest that tribes native to Ecuador fashioned jewellery from the stuff, it's British metallurgist Charles Wood and Spain's Antonio De Ulloa who can best lay claim to having first identified Platinum, what with each of them discovering the metal in Latin America in the mid-1700s.
What it looks like: A grey-like metal. Honestly - what we wouldn't give for a puce or an aquamarine element every now and then...
What it does: Platinum is highly resistant to either corrosion or oxidization. As such, it's sometimes referred to as a noble metal. Other noble metals include Silver, Palladium and Gold. And, depending on the school of thought you subscribe to, Mercury.
What's it used for: At least half of all the Platinum mined and extracted since 2006 has been used in the creation of vehicle emissions control devices, aka catalytic converters. Of course, most of the rest has been transformed into jewellery. Speaking of which, Louis XV of France was of the opinion that Platinum was the only metal fit for a king; something to bare in mind the next time you're invited over to the palace and you haven't a clue what present to buy.
You might not know this but: Platinum's name is derived from the Spanish phrase 'platina del Pinto' which translates as 'little silver of the Pinto River'. Call us sentimental old sods but we think this is rather sweet.