What is Osmium?
Let’s begin with the old story of supply and demand.
This common economic model is to be perfectly seen during the introduction of the “new” precious metals like Platinum, Rhodium, Iridium and Ruthenium. Our case will be a lot more dramatic through the scarcity of Osmium. Platinum, Rhodium, Iridium and Ruthenium can be still mined. Osmium will be off the raw material market.
Once a product cannot be produced or mined any longer, the supply (in this case “the investors”) will be the technology trigger to skyrocket the price.
OSMIUM SUPERSTAR
Osmium has several unique characteristics that makes its market very special and very interesting. In the past Osmium was used as alloy for changing characteristics of other metals to make them harder and durable. The possession and storage of mined Osmium is not uncritical since Osmium is considered to be toxic in its native form the “Osmium sponge” – a form of powder.
This powder tends to form osmium tetroxide, which is responsible for the health hazard. For this reason, Osmium was not allowed to be traded by private parties.
Since the 1990s our group of metallurgists have developed a method of overcoming this problem and succeeded in discovering and perfecting the process of crystallization.
This process changes the crystal structure of osmium and massively limits its chemical reactivity. In its unreactive crystalline form, osmium behaves even more “nobly” than the other precious metals. It also takes on a mythical and mysterious glow in the sunlight. For its uniqueness, crystalline osmium has been spotted for the wristwatch and jewellery markets. One of the first movers which is using osmium in this way is Swiss luxury watch producer “Hublot”. https://www.hublot.com/en/news/classic-fusion-firmament
It can be crystallized in two and or in three-dimensional forms. Osmium is therefore very well appreciated in the jewellery market. The investor market is now splitting up into two large segments. On the one hand, people invest in osmium, store it for five to ten years and then plan to sell it to the later growing jewellery market. On the other hand, speculators who wish to take advantage of the same type of growth patterns observed in the past with the other precious metals are intrigued by the expected “hype”. However, it is foreseeable that the development of osmium will be different in some points, which are worth a closer look. Osmium is the only precious metal that will completely disappear from the market when about 40 tons are sold.
Further reservoirs cannot be discovered, as osmium mining outside the associated deposits with other metals is economically not worthwhile.
Only 30 grams of Osmium are found in 10,000 tons of platinum ore – an equivalent of 250 truckloads!
A second development is the split of the investor market into two sections. On the one hand, there is the spot business conducted between mines and processing companies that use osmium in special applications and operate in accordance with the REACH agreement. This international agreement restricts trade of specific chemicals.
The regular non-crystallized osmium market is not open to private users and investors, as osmium is not and must not be traded outside the chemical industry due to the formation of the toxic osmium tetroxide.
Since 2013 the private investment market has been solely focused on crystalline osmium, since the change of the crystal structure of osmium produces an extremely high degree of purity and, above all, causes it to lose its toxicity.
Crystallization of Osmium is a very complex process which takes weeks under very high pressures and specific gas environment. A method that has been developed over decades.
At the same time, it was discovered by the first private investors, who profited from osmium with high margins of up to 450 percent within just three years.
We are so far ahead with all metallurgic know-how and hold all relevant mining contracts that nobody else will be in the situation to crystallize Osmium elsewhere.
SIGNIFICANT REASONS FOR PRICE INCREASE
It can be predicted, however, that the market entry of Osmium will be accompanied by much more significant price increases for several reasons. First, Osmium is much rarer than all the other precious metals. The annual processing for the investment market is only 120 kg. The production for various applications is up to 360 kg per year but is stretched as much as possible and depends on platinum and nickel production. In addition, contracts have been signed in recent decades for our crystallization company to option large quantities of Osmium, which currently allows access to much larger quantities of Osmium. Almost all Osmium that is not used in platinum alloys or in the chemical industry goes into crystallization. Since Osmium is entirely unforgeable, it can also be certified over long distances and authenticated by the crystal structure. Each piece is unique like a fingerprint. The shortage of crystalline Osmium is progressing rapidly, although sufficient quantities of Osmium can still be introduced into the investor and processing market at present.
The global extractable amount of osmium is about 9 m³. A maximum of 2 m³ of this will be degradable in the next decade. At a density of 22.61 g/cm³, this corresponds to a mass of about 44,000 kg.
Crystallization in 3D shapes has also brought a new form factor into the scene. Osmium pearls are small, round 3D structures with a hole for crystallization purposes, which can be drilled through completely and then worn like pearls.
They are currently the most valuable osmium objects, as only one of 10 pearls succeed in crystallization.
Osmium pearls have the potential to rise 100 percent in value over a single year.
Let the rally around the last precious metal begin...
