I've never found a definitive answer as to why bismuth is so cheap. I'm sure there's a limited demand factor (LOL, Pepto Bismol), but maybe ease of refining, too? Super common byproduct of some other metal refining process? There is such a radical price difference between them.

(Relative mass abundance) vs price

Gold (4) - $64,786.65/kg
Platinum (5) - $34,304.85/kg
Bismuth (8.5) - $9.37/kg
Silver (75) - $821.45/kg

Bismuth

https://www.britannica.com/science/bismuth

Bismuth (Bi), the most metallic and the least abundant of the elements in the nitrogen group (Group 15 [Va] of the periodic table).

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The other day I sat next to a woman who has a profound fear of flying. I wanted to comfort her, so I said, "Don't worry, we're not gonna' crash. Statistically, we got a better chance of being bitten by a shark." Then I showed her the scar on my elbow from a shark attack. I said, "I got this when my plane went down off of Florida." - Dennis Regan

I know why, but it's none of your bismuth.



.

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I love sanding.

Try pricing Rhodium.
It was $242,738.14 per Kg today or $7550.00 per oz.

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Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

Bismuth is used in lead alloys and solder. Look up bismuth crystals. One thing about Bismuth that is sort of freaky is that it has this huge half-life - ~20,000,000,000,000,000,000 years. Easily a buhzillion years.

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When I was in high school I won a wager on the weight of gold. I told my friends that a 14” cube of pure gold weighs a ton. They said I was crazy and we wagered $10 bucks. Our physics/chemistry teacher did the math and proved I was right.

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4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

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As a high schooler, I probably would have taken on that bet, too. Hard to believe that just 14 cubic inches of gold or most any metal would weigh a ton, but I guess it does.

I do recall hearing as an elementary age kid that a gallon of mercury weighed (I think) 75 pounds! I thought that was pretty hard to believe at the time (though I knew mercury was pretty heavy), but I just checked and it actually weighs 112 pounds!!

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
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Rocket-Brained Since 1970

this is why cordless sawzalls are so popular

That's a good point. I know that there's Rhodium and Platinum in a catalytic converter. I don't know what other valuable metals are in one. I can look it up on the internet, because as we all know everything on the internet is 100% true and 100% current.

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

I suspected it might be a combination of both low demand and being a byproduct of some other refining and I think that's it. Found this while searching on "bismuth prospecting":

All about bismuth in the US.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/m...022-bismuth.pdf

Bismuth Statistics and Information

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nation...and-information

Bismuth is mainly a byproduct of lead ore processing.

__________________
The other day I sat next to a woman who has a profound fear of flying. I wanted to comfort her, so I said, "Don't worry, we're not gonna' crash. Statistically, we got a better chance of being bitten by a shark." Then I showed her the scar on my elbow from a shark attack. I said, "I got this when my plane went down off of Florida." - Dennis Regan

Good one.

__________________
The other day I sat next to a woman who has a profound fear of flying. I wanted to comfort her, so I said, "Don't worry, we're not gonna' crash. Statistically, we got a better chance of being bitten by a shark." Then I showed her the scar on my elbow from a shark attack. I said, "I got this when my plane went down off of Florida." - Dennis Regan