Unlike base metals,
noble metals are resistant to corrosion and oxidation. They are rare metals and
are often very expensive. Their rarity and value is one of the reasons that we
are often inspired to practise and experiment with alchemy. The ability to
transmute common, inexpensive metals into those that are more valuable (and
have different magical properties) has long appealed to wizards and Muggles
alike.

This chapter will look
at some of the important noble metals. Remember to be certain that you know
what you are working with BEFORE applying magic (or Muggle science) to each
metal.

Gold

Melting Point: 1064°C

Boiling Point: 2970°C

Density: 19.32 g/cm³

Celestial Body: Sun

Organ: Heart

Gold has long been
admired by humans and is the ultimate goal in alchemical transmutation. Golden
artefacts have been dated as far back as 4200-4600 BC. A wide variety of
cultures have used gold in a number of capacities. Gold has been used as money,
in jewelry, as a medicine, as a decoration in various decorating styles (such
as medieval manuscripts), and in modern Muggle electronics.

Platinum

Melting Point: 1772°C

Boiling Point: 3,825°C

Density: 21.45 g/cm³

Celestial Body: N/A

Organ: N/A

Platinum is a highly
valuable and malleable metal. Its name is derived from the Spanish platita,
meaning 'little silver'. It has several uses in the modern, Muggle world
including jewelry, lab equipment, electrical contacts, and catalytic
converters.

Pre-Columbian South
American natives used platinum in alloys, and the first account of European
contact with platinum was during the 16^th century. The 18^th century saw lots of European experimentation with platinum. The
fascination with platinum, its properties, and the ways it could be used in
alloys continued. Even to this day it is highly prized and used in several
alloys.

Ruthenium

Melting Point: 2334°C

Boiling Point: 4,150°C

Density: 12.45 g/cm³

Celestial Body: N/A

Organ: N/A

Ruthenium is part of the
platinum group of metals and is very rare. Most of its use is due to its
wear-resistant nature in things such as electrical contacts. It is generally
used in alloys that include other platinum group elements.

While Ruthenium was
found in the naturally occurring platinum that was used by South American
natives in pre-Columbian times, it wasn’t until the mid-18^th century that platinum was identified as an independent element.
While there was a prior claim to fame, which was later withdrawn, in the
discovery of Ruthenium and a near miss, it was Karl Klaus, a German scientist,
who identified the element in 1844.

Silver

Melting Point: 961°C

Boiling Point: 2162°C

Density: 10.49 g/cm³

Celestial Body: Moon

Organ: Brain

Silver occurs naturally
both in its pure form and in alloys. It has the highest electrical conductivity
of all the elements and the highest thermal conductivity of all the metals. As
a valuable metal, sometimes folks will try to sell other metals as silver.
There is a simple spell to test the silver – Magis Magnetico. When the
spell is cast on real silver, the item will lift off the ground.

Silver has been used for
thousands of years. It has been used in currency, jewelry, silverware, dishes,
medicine, electronics, photography, and so much more. From the Roman Empire to
the Chinese Empire, silver was historically valued as a form of payment, and,
in the middle ages, silver items, such as buttons, were often inventoried and
passed down through generations.