Precious Metals.

Silver.

Industrial Use is Growing,

'Of all the elements, silver is the indispensable metal. It is the most electrically conductive, thermally conductive, and reflective. Modern life, as we know it, would not exist without silver.'

World Demand is Growing.

Global demand for silver is growing. Virtually all major government mints have seen record levels of sales, with most already operating at peak production. Surging demand is nowhere more evident than China and India. These two behemoth markets have long histories of cultural affinity toward precious metals. And with their populations growing (the opposite of what is happening in the West), their tremendous appetite will continue.

Source: Why Buy Silver?


Rhodium.

Rhodium is one of the most misunderstood of all the precious metals. Its primary use to society is in catalytic converters. Very resistant to corrosion, rhodium looks a lot like silver in its natural state but has a brittle, almost glass-like consistency. One of the main disadvantages (but some consider it an advantage) of investing in rhodium is price volatility. In recent years, it has hit a high of $10,000 per ounce, but settled down to more mundane levels near the current (as of April 2017) price of $945 per ounce.

About 80 percent of all rhodium is used by the auto industry, with another eight percent consumed by the chemical industry. Some analysts think rhodium is poised for another price surge because it is currently trading at historic lows. Auto companies are apparently buying up large reserves to protect themselves from a price rise, but that activity alone could put upward pressure on rhodium prices in the next several years.

Rhodium’s biggest “competitor” in the metals’ category is platinum. But rhodium is so rare (there are fewer than a dozen mines on earth that can even produce it) that its price is unable to rise smoothly to meet demand increases. Instead, when demand goes up, price tends to shoot up rapidly. Some experts compare the price structure and activity of rhodium to fine art. For example, there might be just one or two Monet paintings at auction during a given year, thus prices are highly volatile.

Source: How and Why to Invest in Rhodium, Platinum and Palladium?


Analysis.

Seems that Silver is a worthwhile long-term investment.

Seems that Rhodium is worthwhile to collect, then sell on a short price rises. Perhaps technology advancements will change this.

...