WGC partners with Nanostellar Inc

World Gold Council (WGC) has partnered with Nanostellar Inc. to promote the industrial use of gold in the vehicle sector. Nanostellar Inc. has developed NS Gold™, a catalyst formulation for the auto industry, in which gold is introduced alongside traditional platinum and palladium metals. The gold metal enables manufacturers of light and heavy-duty diesel engines to reduce noxious emissions by as much as 40 per cent.

According to the agreement, WGC will invest in Nanostellar Inc and facilitate the commercialisation and marketing of the gold based technology in the global market. Independent test results have proved the technology as positive, and if adopted by the auto catalyst industry, industrial demand for gold would grow. In 2006 the demand stood at 16.1 million oz (458 tonnes).

James Burton, CEO of the World Gold Council, mentioned “World Gold Council is delighted to be able to assist Nanostellar in its efforts to bring the first gold-containing auto catalyst products to the market. The auto catalyst market is a large and important one for the platinum group metal producers and we are excited to be entering this new arena. We are also pleased to see gold play a role in an application with undoubted environmental benefits.”

Pankaj Dhingra, CEO of Nanostellar Inc, commented: “WGC’s marketing expertise coupled with our technical knowledge should prove a powerful combination in winning advocates for our new product.”