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Silver
News
The House of Representatives Clears Bill
to Study Silver's Use in Industrial and Automotive Catalytic Applications
April 11, 2003
(Washington, D.C. - April 11, 2003)
The House of Representative passed legislation today, which includes a provision
to initiate a three-year program by the Federal government to study a promising
new potential use for silver and gold in industrial and automotive catalytic processes.
H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2003, passed by a vote of 247-175. The United
States Senate will debate its version of the Energy Policy Act, which also contains
the precious metals catalysis study provision, later this spring.
This
federally authorized research may lead to new developments in catalysis which
would allow certain precious metals to replace or to augment traditional catalysts,
which have relied on more expensive platinum-group metals in many industrial applications,
including catalytic converters for automobiles and industrial machinery.
One
benefit from the potential use of silver in industrial and automotive catalysis
is the significant domestic source for silver. The United States is the world's
fourth largest producer of silver and could easily supply the silver necessary
for this use. At present, nearly all of the platinum-group metals necessary for
catalytic processes must be imported. "Congressional
leaders and the White House have expressed a strong desire to see comprehensive
energy legislation move forward this year, and we are pleased that silver is a
component of this major overhaul of our national energy policy," said Paul
Bateman, Executive Director of the Silver Institute. The
Silver Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit international association.
Established in 1971, the Institute serves as the industry's voice in increasing
public understanding of the value and many uses of silver.
For
Further Information Contact:
Mike DiRienzo
The Silver
Institute
1200 G Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel:
(202) 835-0185
Fax: (202) 835-0155
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