Trafalgar Square, London, July 2004

Platinum Metals Review is now a fully-fledged E-journal, supporting the science and technology of the platinum group metals (pgms). Platinum Metals Review forms the centre of this new free website that aims to help the work of the scientists and technologists who are the creators of the exceptional wealth of research and applications involving the pgms.

In 1956, it was decided to launch a free quarterly technical journal to disseminate knowledge of the science and technology of the pgms to a worldwide readership, to support the platinum industry and encourage research. A year later, with support from the Directors of Johnson Matthey and Rustenburg Platinum Mines (the world's largest producer of platinum), Platinum Metals Review was founded.

Since 1957, Platinum Metals Review has followed the growth of pgm technologies as they moved from laboratory to industrial scale. It has reported technologies, such as platinum anticancer drugs, catalysts for vehicle emission control, and a host of chemical, catalytic, electrical and electronic, medical and metallurgical uses as they developed; besides more latterly fuel cells, sensors and nanotechnology applications. Indeed, Platinum Metals Review has always encouraged scientists to describe their research; and for the last 48 years the Journal has been a source of free information on the unique properties and industrial applications of pgms.

We hope readers will enjoy this new free E-journal, and we welcome everyone to the new website.  N. A. P. Carson

Neil Carson became the Chief Executive of Johnson Matthey in July 2004. He joined Johnson Matthey in 1980, becoming Managing Director, Catalysts & Chemicals in 1999. In 2002 he assumed board level responsibility for the Precious Metals Division.

  Johannesburg, South Africa, July 2004

Anglo Platinum and Johnson Matthey have had a commercial link since 1931 when Rustenburg Platinum (Anglo Platinum) was formed to work platinum deposits in the Bushveld Igneous Complex (the Merensky Reef) in the Transvaal. Johnson Matthey became the refiners and distributors of the pgms produced. In the mid-1950s, Rustenburg Platinum (now as then the largest platinum producer in the world) encouraged Johnson Matthey to found Platinum Metals Review to report on scientific developments in the pgm industry. As the output from the platinum mines increased so did the range and scope of the work that Platinum Metals Review was able to describe – often moving in unexpected directions. Publishing this information has contributed to the developments of the commercial markets for pgms, and has thus supported Anglo Platinum's objectives.

We hope that Platinum Metals Review and its website will continue to be a valuable tool for platinum group metals scientists everywhere.  A. I. Wood

Sandy Wood is the Executive Director: Commercial at Anglo Platinum Corporation Limited, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

  Hatton Garden, London, July 2004

With good wishes from Trafalgar Square and Johannesburg, welcome to our new website. Besides the E-journal, the website carries features in the “PGM Science Mine” section to provide contacts, advice, data and information, and more will be added later.

We are always happy to hear from our readers and we hope you will enjoy our new website. On behalf of my colleagues, welcome to www.platinummetalsreview.com  Susan V. Ashton, Editor