Carbon To Gold: Know The 10 Most Expensive Elements On Earth

Elements vary widely in terms of accessibility and cost. Here is a list of the 10 most expensive elements on this planet.

Know The 10 Most Expensive Elements On Earth

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Much like the vast universe itself, the precise history and origins of elements remain elusive, but in total, scientists have unveiled 118 elements. The narrative of element classification traces back to the 19th century to Dmitri Mendeleev. A Russian scientist, Mendeleev crafted an early version of the periodic table, completed in 1871. Notably, he intentionally left vacant spaces where he anticipated future discoveries of elements. As recently as 2016, four new elements were uncovered and added to the periodic table, continuing a trend of such discoveries spanning the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Researchers have been steadily expanding their understanding of the building blocks that constitute our entire world.

Elements vary widely in terms of accessibility and cost. Here is a list of the 10 most expensive elements on this planet.

1. Francium: This elusive element exists solely in short-lived, radioactive forms, rendering its analysis extremely challenging. As a result, the entire Earth's crust contains a mere 24.5 grams, or less than one ounce, of natural francium at any given time.

Thus, locating and handling this element proves nearly impossible, contributing to its exorbitant cost. For instance, one gram could entail a price tag of several billion dollars. Nevertheless, the impracticality of possessing something that rapidly disappears and lacks any notable utility deters potential buyers from investing such substantial amounts on it.

2. Californium: In 1950, the University of California Radiation Laboratory pioneered the development of this element by bombarding curium with alpha particles. Since then, only a limited quantity, measured in grams, has been successfully produced. The estimated cost for one gram of californium stands at approximately $27 million, a figure that aligns with the global production rate of half a gram annually. The primary application of this element lies in serving as a portable neutron source for detecting other elements, notably gold.

3. Carbon: While carbon is a fundamental element for life and commonly found in our bodies, as well as in materials like coal and graphite, its value can skyrocket when arranged in a specific structure- i.e. in the form of diamond. In this form, carbon commands a steep price of up to $65,000 per gram.

4. Plutonium: Known for its prominent role in nuclear weapons and reactors, both the isotopes- plutonium-239 and plutonium-241 are capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction. Despite its high radioactivity and associated dangers, it has a soaring price of minimum of $4,000 per gram.

5. Scandium: Being a rare earth metal, this is heavily priced. The global trade of scandium oxide amounts to approximately 10 tonnes per year, with a cost starting at least at $270 per gram.

6. Lutetium: This ia also part of the rare earth metals and has limited commercial applications compared to lanthanum. Stable lutetium finds use as a catalyst in petroleum cracking within refineries and plays a role in alkylation, hydrogenation, and polymerization processes, marking its price as $69 per gram.

7. Lanthanum: It is a silvery-white soft metallic element, whose compounds have diverse applications across various industries. Serving as catalysts, contributors to carbon arc lamps, ignition elements, electron cathodes, scintillators, GTAW electrodes, and more, the rarity of this element contributes to its high cost which is $64 per gram.

8. Platinum: This is characterised by its extremely low reactivity and exceptional resistance to corrosion even at high temperatures. Beyond its use in jewelry, platinum finds practical applications in various fields such as automobiles, dentistry, and medicine. Its price goes as high as $60 per gram.

9. Rhodium: This finds its primary application in automobiles, particularly as a catalyst in three-way catalytic converters. Additionally, rhodium is utilised in the realm of jewellery, serving as a thin plating on white gold to enhance its appearance. Sterling silver is also frequently rhodium-plated for increased resistance to tarnishing. This element is priced at $58 per gram.

10. Gold: Valued at $56 per gram, it is extensively employed in jewellery. Virtually, every ancient civilisation considered gold as a precious metal. Scientifically, gold exhibits characteristics that make it ideal for electronic applications, although its high cost remains a significant obstacle. Despite its pure form being a bright, slightly reddish, soft, malleable, and ductile metal, gold's status as one of the most sought-after rare earth elements makes it the tenth most expensive element on Earth.