#top story
As 2019 is drawing to a close, the Materials World team wanted to highlight a couple of stories to end the year on a high note. Today we will share the news story that got the most clicks on our website in 2019 and on Friday we will share the top feature. We hope you enjoy and Merry Christmas from the editorial team.
RARE PRECIOUS METAL OSMIUM CHALLENGES THE DIAMOND INDUSTRY
By: Shardell Joseph
Osmium in crystal form has attracted attention from jewellers and is set to rival the global diamond industry. Shardell Joseph reports.
Image credit: Osmium Institute
At least a thousand times rarer than diamonds, the aesthetic of osmium has attracted attention among jewellers and watchmakers, and experts have predicted it will challenge the global diamond industry.
Co-mined with platinum, there are 2m of osmium minable on Earth, making the metal incredibly rare. The crystallisation imparts a unique lustre, resulting in a distinct blue-silver tint, which has been nicknamed ‘the sparkle’.
Due to its high level of toxicity as a raw material, the element was previously difficult to work with, so unpopular. It has only been available for a few years after a discovery in 2013 found that crystallising the metal rendered it harmless. Now, osmium is providing opportunities for investors and possibilities for premium jewellery designs.
The Osmium Institute in Germany is globally marketing the metal in anticipation of it rivalling the diamond industry. Osmium Institute Director, Ingo Wolf, said it had been almost unavailable for three years. There were efforts in the Osmium Institute globally to negotiate individual customs agreements with individual states. He said that deals with the USA required two years, while the Australia agreements were reached quite quickly.
‘At the same time, new shapes were prepared for the jewellery market, which can serve as semi-finished products,’ Wolf said. ‘The current growth is about 100% per month. However, after a hot phase, this curve will also drop back to a more normal level if growth continues. Nonetheless, 100% per year is absolutely probable for a few years from next year.’
Osmium as a jewellery commodity is still a long way away from the value of diamond. According to Wolf, for every 0.2g, diamonds are currently valued at approximately €8,000 per carat, whereas osmium is valued at €210. However, it is highly likely the value will spike along with the demand due to the expected exponential growth of the metal.
‘Competition of cheap diamonds with Swarovski and other fiscal developments will pave the way for metals with surfaces that exceed the diamond’s radiant power,’ Wolf said.
‘The sparkle’ metal
Most commonly produced in South Africa, Canada and Russia, osmium is one of seven metals considered precious – platinum, gold, silver, palladium, iridium, rhodium and ruthenium. Among these precious metals, osmium is the rarest with the highest density. It exceeds the compression and abrasion resistance of a diamond. When osmium is cooled, it becomes a superconductor, with the capacity to transport electricity without loss.
Usually used as an alloying agent with uridium platinum and other platinum group metals, the material can be found in fountain pens and medical devices. Some compounds are used for fingerprint detection. Osmium has been used in research development as a catalyst in the process for making ammonia from combined hydrogen and nitrogen.
But handling and storing the metal is critical as its raw powdered form, called osmium sponge, is considered extremely toxic.
The powder tends to form osmium tetroxide, which is a health hazard, restricting trade of the metal between private parties.
This situation changed when it was discovered in 2013 that osmium could be crystallised and therefore detoxified. This process changes the crystal structure of osmium and hugely limits its chemical reactivity. In its unreactive crystalline form, osmium behaves even more nobly than other precious metals.
Because osmium can be crystallised in two or three-dimensional forms, osmium interests jewellers. Because of its rarity - only 30g of osmium found in 10,000t of platinum ore - its popularity among investors is expected to spike.
Among the reasons for investors to be interested in the crystallisation of osmium over diamonds are the ethical considerations.
Osmium demands very high ethical standards for sourcing the raw material. This is because the ore housing it comes from mines that supply platinum for automotive catalysts. These companies would have aready undergone a comprehensive programme to ensure compliance with strict ethical and sustainability standards. Thus investors are likely to be attracted by the guilt-free component of osmium.
Amanda’s Protest - Part 77 (on Wattpad) http://my.w.tt/UiNb/fLGfk77rnB Both now more than comfortable with each other, both sleep naked each night. After drying each other off after their shower both went to lay in the large king sized bed. Amanda reaches over and starts to poke and prod Adam’s dick with her left stump as her right rubs her pussy.“I’m excited about tomorrow Adam. I know it will be nothing like getting hands when I do finally get the hooks but I do believe my home life will be much easier. At least tomorrow we start the process. I hope it doesn’t take too long.”“I couldn’t tell you Mandy. Shouldn’t take long. You’re fully healed so they will cast and measure your arms then pour the molds and after some fitting and cleaning up by them it should just be assembly. I would bet 2 weeks tops.”“I bet I will be able to cook more and hold a regular coffee cup. Even help you more in the garden. I really hope it opens up more things for me to do on my own. So much I enjoy about being like this but so much I miss.”“Hey Mandy. Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you.”“Oh yea? Mummmmmmmm.. I like surprises. ”“Oh, you’ll like this. Close your eyes and hold your left stump up for me.. DON’T LOOK!“Amanda closes her eyes tight. She bends her elbow to face upward but still a little tilted at Adam. Adam reaches under the bed and opens the box, then removes the stump covers. Adam then slowly starts to slide one over her stump as he keeps telling her to keep her eyes closed. With each tug Amanda wiggles a little harder. She knows it’s a stump cover but can tell that it feels different than the ones Adam likes her to jerk him off with. She knows this one is different. Once Adam has it on an it’s pulled snug he tells Amanda to open her eyes and inspect his gift to her.With a loud squeal of joy Amanda immediately starts to rub it with her bare stump. She then puts it between her legs and rubs her pussy with it on. Clearly happy and overly excited Amanda sticks the other stump up at Adam and begs him to put the other one on."I had them made special of course. I thought the black shiny latex would feel good for both of us.”“Hurry and get the other one on and we can find out. I love the fabric because it won’t absorb our fluids or stain. I can’t wait to jerk you off but first I have to go look at myself in the mirror."After a few more squeals of joy Amanda rushes out and offers her two covered shiny stumps to Adam.. He holds his hands out and she rests them in his cupped hands. Adam gives them a squeeze then he kisses the tips."I’m so pleased you love them. Donna did a perfect job with sizing them it looks like. They are yours. You do what ever you want to do with them. You can play with yourself or you can jerk me off with them. I’m eager but there is no rush. We have all night to play with the new toys."Amanda crawls between Adam’s legs and starts to tug on his dick with her leather like stump covers. Skin tight, not a wrinkle. Almost like a wet tattoo her stumps pull his dick up and down as fast as she can manage. She notices right away that her stumps don’t slip off like before. The fabric is almost sticky to his cock and she loves the freedom and control and she can tell Adam loves how it feels.Adam’s thighs tighten as a natural reflex when he’s about to ejaculate and Amanda knows that reflex well. Just before he releases she removes her stumps and drops her warm mouth on the all of his shaft. As Adam empties his love juices she pushes on his balls with the leather like clad stumps she has come to love.
"Sweet man of mine. Tonight is your night off. You just lay there and watch me work these new sexy stump gloves over my pussy. If the feeling overtakes you then jerk off where I can watch. This time though these new gifts are for me!"Adam starts watching as Amanda slowly rubs her clit with the rubberized fabric sleeves covering her two beautifully tailored arm stumps where unsightly hands once extended from. Sure they were pretty hands but everyone has hands. Amanda, Adam’s lover… she’s special. She was custom made.
Just as she thought would happen Adam’s dick grew hard again in no time and he started to stroke it as he watched her slick black stumps poke at her pussy. Amanda looks over at him and reminds him that he needs to be where she can watch. Adam got on his knees just over Amanda and started stroking slowly as he stared at her handless arms.It was clear that just another inch and a half of stump on each arm would make the world of difference to Amanda being able to please herself on a totally different level. As Adam watches her struggle to reach the magic spots he stoked himself harder and harder. Amanda would moan and twist trying to reach a little farther but it was no use. She started to rub faster and as she pushed and rubbed her pussy Adam jacked his cock and almost like magic they both came at the same time. Adam spilling his juices all over Amanda’s chest and face.Amanda’s bent knees dropped flat on the bed and her arms flew back over her head.. She looked deeply into Adam’s eyes and thanked him 20 times for her new gift.. then she swiped up his cum on her face and licked it off the shiny stump covers until it was all gone.Adam knew that second that his gift was a gift for both of them.. That his gift had the reaction that he had hoped it would.
Adam went down and ate Amanda dry, got up and got a wet cloth to wipe them both clean with. Adam tried to remove her stump covers but Amanda asked him to let her keep them on until morning. Adam was pleased with her request and he fell fast asleep holding on to each one as if it was a security blanket.
#Apotemnophilia
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The 2016 Book Preview: 100 Books to Read this Year
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