DEMAND for platinum in autocatalysts declined by 20,000 oz to 1.85m oz in 1995, due mainly to a diminished use of platinum-rich catalysts in Europe according to Johnson Matthey, (JM) in its review Platinum 1996. Platinum use in this major offtake sector is expected to remain stable this year as it is replaced by palladium and rhodium and the necessity to use a more durable long lasting catalyst diminishes. As platinum has no substitute in clean air environments and diesel engines, there has been some compensation for the decrease, but the demand boom seen previously for platinum is over for the present time, although after 2000, with a change in EC emissions regulations and catalyst type, demand for autocatalyst platinum may return, according to Michael Steel of JM.
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