Tengrinews.kz - Californium is considered the most expensive and rarest metal on Earth, with its price reaching several tens of millions of dollars per gram, citing RIA Novosti.
According to Dmitry Baranov, a leading expert at Finam Management, californium’s exceptionally high price is due to its rarity and complex production process.
"This is an artificially synthesized metal produced in minuscule amounts each year by irradiating curium in a nuclear reactor over a long period. The californium is then extracted from the resulting materials through a chemical process," the expert explained.
Baranov added that californium is used in the nuclear industry, particularly in nuclear medicine for radiation therapy and material research. The metal is produced exclusively in Russia and the United States.
Meanwhile, the cheapest metal in the world, according to Baranov, is iron and its alloys, such as steel and cast iron.
"Iron alloys are widely used in both industry and everyday life, serving as the primary material for countless products, ranging from complex machinery to household items," Baranov noted.
He explained that iron is extracted from iron ore, which is smelted in blast furnaces to produce cast iron, and then processed into steel. The largest iron ore deposits are found in Australia, Brazil, China, and Russia, while dozens of countries around the world manufacture steel.
"The global demand for iron depends on economic conditions, raw material costs, and other factors. However, since products made from iron are always in demand, it remains essential, which is reflected in its price," Baranov concluded.
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