Element 45 · Transition Metal
Rhodium
Rhodium is the rarest, most expensive of the platinum group metals — and saw one of the most dramatic price spikes in commodity history.
Element Facts
SYMBOL
Rh
ATOMIC NO.
45
ATOMIC WEIGHT
102.91
CATEGORY
Transition Metal
PERIOD
Period 5
GROUP
Group 9
Overview
Rhodium is element 45, a hard, silvery transition metal that is the rarest of the precious metals — global annual production is only around 30 tonnes. Almost all rhodium produced is used in catalytic converters, where it is uniquely effective at reducing nitrogen oxides. South Africa dominates supply at over 80% of global production. In April 2021, rhodium briefly exceeded $29,000/troy ounce — one of the most extraordinary commodity price spikes ever recorded. Prices have since moderated to approximately $4,000–6,000/oz by 2025, but rhodium remains many times more valuable than gold by weight.
Our Scrap Grades for This Metal
Catalytic converters contain small but extremely valuable amounts of rhodium — generally less than 1 gram per unit, but worth a significant proportion of the total cat value.