Tangible assets with opportunities for high value growth
Almost all of the commodities in our range of physical assets are highly critical, because while demand is constantly increasing, supply is not guaranteed due to geological, economic or political circumstances. This makes commodities exciting physical assets and an intelligent addition to a portfolio.
Here you can view the percentage price development of selected commodities in EUR and US dollars. The charts are for orientation purposes. You can find information on current market developments in our Market insight or on Rawmaterials.net.
Technology metals
Antimony
Antimony is a semi-metal that is mainly used in the production of alloys with tin and lead and as a flame retardant. The following chart shows the price development of antimony.
Bismuth
The heavy metal bismuth is mainly obtained as a by-product in the extraction of other metals such as lead, copper or tin. Important fields of application are alloys, pigments and chemicals. The following chart shows the price development of bismuth.
Gallium
Gallium is processed in semiconductors, which are required for the production of high-performance chips as well as solar cells and light-emitting and laser diodes. Gallium also plays an important role in the production of thin-film solar cells. The following chart shows the price development of gallium.
Germanium
Germanium ensures error-free data transmission over long distances in fibre optic cables. The raw material therefore plays a key role in the global expansion of fibre optic networks and the 5G mobile network. The following chart shows the price development of germanium.
Hafnium
Hafnium is mainly used for the production of so-called superalloys. These particularly stable, refractory and heat-resistant materials are used in the aerospace industry and in the manufacture of gas turbines. The following chart shows the price development of hafnium.
Indium
Coating with indium tin oxide turns glass surfaces into conductive touchscreens. As a semiconductor material, indium is used in thin-film transistors for OLED flat screens. Its use in thin-film solar cells is also becoming increasingly important. The following chart shows the price development of indium.
Rhenium
The addition of a few per cent of rhenium makes materials stronger and more heat-resistant. Almost 80 per cent of the raw material is used for nickel-based high-temperature and superalloys, which are in demand when extreme temperatures and high pressure prevail, such as in rocket and aircraft engines and gas turbines. The following chart shows the price development of rhenium.
Tellurium
Important areas of application for the rare element tellurium are solar cells and alloys. It is primarily obtained as a by-product of copper. The following chart shows the price development of tellurium.
Rare earths
Dysprosium
Dysprosium is used as an alloy component in a whole range of technologies. These include permanent magnets, such as those found in the generators of wind turbines and the drive motors of electric cars. The following chart shows the price development of dysprosium.
Neodymium
The most common applications for neodymium are permanent magnets for applications such as electric motors, wind turbines, nuclear magnetic resonance tomographs and consumer electronics. The magnets permanently carry hundreds to thousands of times their own weight, thus enabling high performance with low mass. The following chart shows the price development of neodymium.
Praseodymium
The strongest permanent magnets in the world are based on a neodymium-iron-boron alloy, to which praseodymium is often added. These magnets are required for technologies such as electric motors, wind turbines and nuclear magnetic resonance scanners, but are also used in everyday appliances and consumer electronics. The following chart shows the price development of praseodymium.
Terbium
Permanent magnets with neodymium-iron-boron are becoming increasingly popular due to their use in electromobility, wind power and consumer electronics. The addition of terbium can improve the performance of the magnets. The raw material also serves as a stabiliser for fuel cells. The following chart shows the price development of terbium
Precious metals
Gold
Gold is mainly used in the jewellery industry and as an investment metal in the form of coins and bars. The precious metal is also used in medicine, optics and electronics. The following chart shows the price development of gold.
Iridium
The raw material is used in the production of organic light-emitting diodes for OLED flat screens. Iridium is also relevant for the production of green hydrogen using electrolysis. The following chart shows the price development of iridium.
Palladium
Palladium is used as a cathode material in fuel cells. The majority of the metal mined is required for the production of exhaust catalytic converters for petrol engines. However, the precious metal is also used in electrical engineering and dental technology. The following chart shows the price development of palladium.
Platinum
Platinum is a powerful catalytic converter. The automotive industry needs the raw material for car exhaust catalytic converters. The metal is also used for the production of hydrogen by electrolysis. The following chart shows the price development of platinum.
Rhodium
Rhodium is mainly used in exhaust filters. In car exhaust catalytic converters, it converts harmful nitrogen oxides into water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The precious metal is also used for catalytic reactions in the pharmaceutical industry. The following chart shows the price development of rhodium.
Ruthenium
The electronics industry requires the precious metal for the coating of hard drives, as it increases the storage capacity. In fuel cell technology, ruthenium is used alongside platinum as a catalyst to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. The following chart shows the price development of ruthenium.
Silver
More than half of the silver mined is used for industrial applications. In medicine, it is used in the coating of endoprostheses or for the production of wound dressings. The raw material is also used in the manufacture of solar modules. The following chart shows the price development of silver.