Element 44 · Transition Metal
Ruthenium
A platinum group metal used in hard disk drives, electrical contacts, and catalysts — but with no general scrap market.
Element Facts
SYMBOL
Ru
ATOMIC NO.
44
ATOMIC WEIGHT
101.07
CATEGORY
Transition Metal
PERIOD
Period 5
GROUP
Group 8
Origins
Ruthenium was discovered in 1844 by Karl Ernst Claus, a Baltic German chemist working in Kazan, Russia, who found it in platinum ore from the Ural Mountains. Named after Ruthenia, the Latin name for Kievan Rus (historical Russia). It was the last of the platinum group metals to be discovered. Historically used as a hardening agent in platinum and palladium jewellery alloys and electrical contacts. The early 21st century saw major new demand from hard disk drive coatings.
Key Properties
Ruthenium is element 44, a platinum group metal harder and more brittle than platinum or palladium. Discovered in 1844 in Russian platinum ore — the name derives from Ruthenia (Latin for Russia).
Modern Applications
Hard disk drive platter coatings (perpendicular magnetic recording layers). Electrical contacts in switching equipment. Catalysts for ammonia production and chemical synthesis. Specialty solar cell coatings.
At the Yard
Why QuickStop Metals doesn’t buy Ruthenium:
Ruthenium recovery is highly specialist — handled by precious metal refiners (Johnson Matthey, BASF, Heraeus) rather than general scrap yards. Hard disk drive ruthenium content is too dilute for general scrap recovery.
Market Value
Ruthenium trades at approximately £400–700 per troy ounce on platinum group metal markets (£13,000–22,000/kg). While a PGM with significant value, it is not bought at standard scrap yards — PGM recovery from complex industrial waste streams requires specialist refining.