Hafnium - technology metal with investment potential
Great things grow from small origins - this applies to no other metal as it does to hafnium. Even the smallest quantities of the technology metal make power plants safer, ensure better-performing computers, make cars and aeroplanes safer and enable innovations in space technology. Crystalline hafnium is therefore a material that is as advantageous as it is versatile, and is also suitable as a valuable investment.
Very high purity
We supply hafnium with a very high purity of at least 99.9% (Hf + Zr), with a zirconium content of only 1% max.
The main factor of contamination of Hafnium is Zirconium. Hafnium is present in all zircon ores, but both metals are so similar that they can hardly be separated.
What is hafnium?
Hafnium is a steel-grey transition metal that has the atomic number 72 in the periodic table of the elements. The metal, which belongs to the titanium group, is one of the last stable elements of the periodic table to be discovered and has very special properties for its use in technology and industry.
High-purity hafnium is comparatively soft and pliable, which makes it easy to process by hammering, forging and rolling. However, even the smallest traces of oxygen, nitrogen or carbon in the gate cause a sharp increase in hardness, making it brittle and difficult to work with. From a chemical point of view, hafnium is characterised by a high corrosion resistance under normal conditions due to the so-called passivation.
Use of hafnium in business and industry
Due to its complex extraction, hafnium is a rare metal that is used in industry in many ways but comparatively sparingly. It is used, among other things, in the field of nuclear technology, both in civilian and military applications. This applies, for example, to highly robust nuclear reactors in power plants and nuclear submarines. In addition, it is used as a getter substance in high-vacuum systems and in ultra-bright flash lamps.
Its use in the form of metal alloys together with tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum and niobium is particularly interesting. These in turn are essential for the production of particularly strong, heat-resistant and high-melting materials and thus for the production of high-tech components.
Alternative use as an investment
In addition to its use in mechanical engineering, nuclear energy, the aviation industry and chemical production technology, the transition metal is also suitable as an investment. Here, the rarity of the element of only 4.2 ppm by mass in the earth's crust plays a major role.
Although the metal is not as rare as gold, it is much more difficult to extract, which makes it particularly valuable. In addition, the demand for the raw material is increasing visibly in modern technology, which means that further increases in value can be expected in the future. This makes hafnium an interesting addition to one's own financial portfolio, even for speculatively oriented private Investors.
