Acquire the rare indium as ingot as an investment object or simply for collecting.
The purity is 99.995%. A high-quality certificate printed on linen textured cardboard is included in the delivery.
For protection, the bars are vacuum-packed so that you can enjoy them for a long time. The foil is super strong and tear-resistant - only the best for your bars - quality Made in Switzerland!
The ingots are offered in the following sizes:
| Weight |
Dimensions in mm |
| 100g |
50 x 37 x 8 |
| 250g |
65 x 30 x 18,5 |
| 500g |
85 x 45 x 19 |
| 1kg wide |
104,5 x 60 x 22,5 |
| 1kg long |
155 x 35 x 26 |
Indium: A shimmering technology metal with a bright future
It is often called a technology metal, and quite rightly so: indium is an elementary component of numerous achievements in communication and future technology. In its processed form as indium tin oxide, it guarantees the functionality of touch screens and liquid crystal displays (LCD), it is needed for light-emitting diodes and is indispensable for the use of solar cells and photovoltaics. The many positive properties of the shimmering silver metal are countered by only one negative fact: Indium is rare and its natural reserves are finite. Nevertheless, the demand is constantly increasing, also because the raw material is gaining strategic importance for the economy. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the price of indium will increase significantly in the near future - and that an investment is worthwhile for you now.
The discovery: A monument to the high-tech material
Pretty sure there are quite few high-tech materials that have been given a quite classic monument. Indium is one of them. A bronze plaque on the local castle square in Freiberg, Saxony, commemorates the two chemists Ferdinand Reich and Theodor Hieronymus Richter, who discovered indium at the local mining academy. Although the two were actually looking for thallium more than 150 years ago. In a sphalerite sample, however, they found an unknown, indigo blue spectral line - which later gave the material its name. The researchers succeeded in isolating the metal in several steps. It was presented to the public for the first time at the Paris World's Fair in 1867. By then, indium already had its symbol "In" and the atomic number 49 in the periodic table of the elements.
Rare indium: worldwide supplies are limited
In its elemental and pure form, indium is only found very, very rarely. Its frequency in the earth's crust is about the same as that of silver. By far the most deposits of the metal are bound up in zinc ores, especially in sphalerite. Purely theoretically, the worldwide reserves are estimated at 16,000 tonnes. Theoretical because only 11,000 tonnes can be mined economically. The largest deposits are in China, Canada and Peru. However, ores containing indium are also mined in Australia and Brazil, in Russia and Japan, in South Africa, the USA and some European countries. Indium is usually extracted as a classic by-product in the production of lead and zinc. Through multiple extraction and additional electrolysis, it is possible to obtain a raw product that has a purity of 99.99 percent. For worldwide pure trade - and as an investment - indium is usually cast in bars.
The recycling rate is vanishingly small
Due to the limited natural reserves and the rapidly increasing demand, indium is currently one of the scarcest raw materials on the planet. More than 70 per cent of the international production volume is processed into indium tin oxide. In the process, the indium oxide is bound as a complex with a small amount of tin oxide. A conductive, transparent compound is formed, which is the basis for LCD screens or light-emitting diodes, for example. It seems strange that the recycling rate of indium internationally is not even one percent - although the metal is mainly used in consumer and durable goods. Only Japan has installed an efficient recycling system for the precious substance.
Overview: The physical and chemical properties of indium
Indium is a silvery metal with a very low melting point of only 156.60 degrees Celsius. Only mercury, gallium and alkali metals are even lower. The metal is also very soft and has a Mohs hardness of only 1.2, which is why it can easily be cut through, deformed or even nicked with a fingernail. Similar to tin, indium makes a distinctive, shrill sound when bent, which is commonly referred to as a "tin scream". Below the so-called transition temperature of 3.41 Kelvin, indium has superconducting properties. In liquid form, it can permanently wet glass.
Since indium is a base metal, it seeks to combine with a whole range of non-metals at high temperatures. It reacts with selenium and sulphur, nitrogen and hydrogen, even phosphorus. At room temperatures, on the other hand, the metal behaves stably even in air. This is due to the fact that it forms a dense oxide layer around itself to prevent further oxidation. The protective mechanism works similarly to that of aluminium. Indium is not soluble in water and most organic acids, only nitric and sulphuric acid can affect the soft material.
All-rounder indium: for displays, touch screens and solar cells
Indium is used in a wide range of applications. Already before and shortly after the Second World War, it was used as an alloying component to protect against corrosion in the electrical industry and in aircraft construction. Its softness and low melting point favour the metal for thermal protection in fire protection systems and transformers. However, indium started its triumphal march with the development of modern communication technology - which, conversely, was partly made possible by the versatile material in the first place. Glass plates coated with indium tin are at the heart of most displays. In touchscreens, indium tin oxide works just as well as a conductor of electricity as in light-emitting diodes and solar cells. Thin-film photovoltaics achieve the highest conceivable electricity yield with indium, copper, gallium and diselenide. Nanowires made of indium phosphide are not only effective in optical switches, but also in medical technology and laser technology. Indium is undoubtedly one of the technology metals that will become even more important in the future.
Toxicology and dangers: Solid indium is safe
Solid indium is non-toxic and non-flammable. On the other hand, when finely separated, i.e. as powder or even dust, it can easily ignite and burn, like many other metals. The fire must never be extinguished with water, as there is an acute danger of explosion due to the hydrogen that forms. In this case, a metal fire extinguisher must be used. Usually, however, there is no need to grind indium into powder - a silvery, shiny ingot can give you infinitely greater pleasure.
