Background Ruthenium is a hard silvery white metal at room temperature. It is a member of the platinum group metals.
DiscoveryRuthenium was discovered in 1844 by Karl Karlovich Klaus who isolated it from crude platinum. The name Ruthenium is derived from Ruthenia, Latin for Russia.
There are reports that the Polish chemist Jedrzej Sniadecki discovered Ruthenium in 1807, however, he withdrew claims of discovering a new element. If he had in fact discovered it, Ruthenium may well have been known as Vestium, the name that Sniadecki used in his withdrawn claim.
OccurrenceRuthenium is very rare and is found as a metal in association other platinum group metals such as platinum, osmium and iridium. It is most commonly recovered along with nickel. Key Properties Ruthenium:
· Oxidises in air at approximately 800°C
· Is not attacked by hot or cold acids or aqua regia
· Oxidises explosively if added to a solution of potassium chlorate

Property Value Symbol Ru CAS Number 7440-18-8 Atomic Number 44 Atomic Weight 101.07 Melting Point 2334°C Boiling Point 4150°C Density 12.37g/cm3
Applications Ruthenium is used for:
· An additive for platinum and palladium, where it creates a harder alloy
· A catalyst in the chemical industry
· An alloying element in titanium alloys where it imparts improved corrosion resistance.