Platinum from roundabouts

Platinum is a very valuable metal. It is used in jewellery but it’s main use is as a catalyst for a huge number of different reactions.

Most importantly, it is crucial to the functioning of catalytic converters.

One problem with platinum is that it does not often form very concentrated seams, so huge volumes of rock must be processed in order to obtain relatively small amounts of platinum. This makes catalytic converters very expensive.

The nature of catalysts means that the platinum is never used up. But in order to make the converters as efficient as possible the platinum is very finely divided which means it can be dislodged and blown out through the exhaust relatively easily.

As a consequence we are continually spreading platinum on the roads, and around roundabouts the levels of platinum are almost as high as in platinum mines.

Maybe at some point in the future mining roundabouts will be a big business.