Process of using platinum for fuel cells being tested

Johannesburg

WITH platinum prices at a five-year low, Anglo American Platinum Ltd is seeking to boost demand for the metal with systems that produce electricity in remote areas.

Platinum, now used mostly for jewellery and catalytic converters for vehicles, has a unique ability to react with hydrogen, making it an efficient catalyst for fuel cells. Anglo American and Canada's Ballard Power Systems Inc are now testing the process to see if it can be used to light up an isolated village.