Minerals, Metals, and Other Materials

Metals

What are the precious metals?

This is a general term for expensive metals that are used for making coins, jewelry, and ornaments. The name is limited to gold, silver, and platinum. Expense or rarity does not make a metal precious, but rather it is a value set by law that states that the object made of these metals has a certain intrinsic value. The term is not synonymous with “noble metals,” although a metal (such as platinum) may be both noble and precious.



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