Ruthenium is a rare and hard transitional metal that is a part of the platinum group in the periodic table. It was discovered in 1844 and is mainly found in ores of platinum and nickel. Ruthenium is widely used as an alloy and a catalyst because of its good resistance to corrosion, high melting point, and other unique chemical properties. For example, it can be used in electrical contacts, hard disk drives, and fountain pen nibs.