Demand for platinum to reduce pollution from automobile exhausts

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:7188427

Kusler, D J

This Bureau of Mines study is an appraisal of the demand for platinum, should this strategic metal be used as a catalyst in the National abatement of automobile exhaust pollution. The Clean Air Act of 1970, as amended, requires that automobiles produced in 1975 and thereafter be provided with antipollutive measures to control automotive exhaust emissions. The study considers the need for automobile pollution control, the methodology for such control, the annual primary (new) platinum demand for automobiles produced from 1975 to 1990, primary platinum availability, and supply-demand forecasts and outlook. The correlative demand for platinum for the production of the required unleaded gasoline is also considered. Methodology for the study included a forecast of new automobile production from 1975 to 1990, development of automobile survival and retirement data, estimates of new platinum demand under various conditions of salvage, and data on recycling the precious metal from the catalytic converters of scrapped vehicles and existing vehicles when their spent converters are exchanged for replacement units. The new platinum demand for automobile exhaust converters, based on a converter service life of 50,000 miles, is estimated to be 1.41 million troy ounces initially in 1975, rising to 1.68 million in 1980, and declining curvilinearly to 0.94 million in 1990. The platinum demand for converter longevities other than 50,000 miles can be derived from the tabular data presented. An appendix to the report presents a comparison between longevities of 50,000 miles and 25,000 miles. The petroleum industry's demand for new platinum for the production of lead-free gasolines could total as high as l million troy ounces between 1972 and 1981, just for expansion of isomerization and reforming capacity, and is in addition to normal operating demand for this metal.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Eastern Field Operation Center-Field and Environmental Activities
• OSTI ID: 7188427
• Report Number(s): BM-IC-8565
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
AUTOMOBILES
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
CATALYSTS
AVAILABILITY
DEMAND FACTORS
GASOLINE
MATERIALS RECOVERY
PLATINUM
RECYCLING
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FUELS
MANAGEMENT
METALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLATINUM METALS
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VEHICLES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
330700* - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Emission Control