Although it wasn't officially discovered until 1735, platinum was used by pre-Columbian Native Americans.

It occurs in nature with other metals from its group on the periodic table, is silvery white, malleable, and ductile, and does not oxidize in air. Platinum is instead corroded by halogens, cyanides, sulfur, and caustic alkalis.

It's used extensively in jewelry, wire, and laboratory vessels, as well as sealed electrodes, thermocouple elements, electrical contacts, and corrosion-resistant apparatuses.

Platinum is also used to coat missile nose cones and jet engine fuel nozzles, applications that require reliable performance at high temperatures.