In general, we advise against investing in tangible assets other than those included in the offer. However, there are exceptions. Please refer to the following table for recommendations and warnings. You are also welcome to download the Customs Commodity Classification Register to evaluate such offers.
Coarsely crystalline osmium, in 3D-grown structures, as offered by metametals, Mr. Alexander Wimmer, and other small sellers on eBay, can at best be considered a collector’s item. Mass production for use in the jewelry or watch market—and the resulting resale—is generally not possible or is associated with significant problems and substantial price discounts. You can obtain further information on this topic from the International Osmium Association (www.Osmium-World-Council.com), the global trade association for the osmium market. Warning: These pieces are completely unsuitable as tangible assets and have no market value.
There is a residual health risk if they are touched or swallowed. Long-term safety studies are available for crystalline osmium; over a 10-year period, numerous studies by various institutions have confirmed not only its non-toxicity but also its non-allergenicity. Sintered ingots would first have to be crushed and converted back into raw osmium before they can be used industrially; this process is expensive and requires additional high-purification. Instead of purchasing sintered ingots, it is recommended to purchase HTR osmium with a 3N5 purity, which is available at a reasonable price and can be obtained from a secure source and stored at a safe location.
Offcut is the material that remains as excess material beyond the used mold when cutting shapes from flat, crystallized osmium bars. It is typically made up of very small particles and therefore cannot be further used for other applications. As a result, it must be sent into the recycling process to be recrystallized. This osmium has a high-purity, as it has already been crystallized. Direct use is only possible in alloys. Current prices for these applications are available and can be requested from osmium institutes on a case-by-case basis.
Fused beads are always contaminated by the arc-melting process. Typically, they contain carbon. Tests conducted in the Osmium Institutes’ laboratories have shown that no fused beads available on the market possess a purity suitable for industrial use. The material is intended only for collectors and has no resale value. If you have nevertheless purchased such material, it was likely done under false pretenses. We gladly provide legal assistance if you wish to return such material to the seller for a refund of the purchase price.
Raw osmium of a quality unsuitable for industrial use. For osmium—and specifically for its use as a raw material—the fundamental principle applies that the material must meet the requirements of its intended use. To this end, the purity may be very high, or, in cases of moderate purity, defined impurities must have been completely removed. Osmium in its raw form should never be purchased from unknown sources without analytical testing. To protect investors, osmium institutes have developed guidelines specifying which grades of raw osmium are suitable for defined applications and, therefore, for investors. Since the material has such high potential, it is essential to be well-informed. Please feel free to call the Osmium Institute’s German laboratory directly if you have any questions or are unsure. +49 177 / 7938007
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