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What is made of gold other than jewelry. The historical aspect as the key to success in "gold" investment. Gold price dynamics


Gold has unique properties. It is characterized by amazing ductility and malleability. Thanks to this, super-thin microfibers, plates, foil are easily made from it. In addition, gold has the highest resistance to the action of an aggressive environment, and in terms of thermal and electrical conductivity, it is second only to copper and silver. This led to its widespread use in many industries (electronics, measuring instruments, chemical industry, etc.)

The 100% ability of gold to reflect infrared rays is used in glass production for the purpose of metallizing the windows of large buildings. Since in the hot summer period, window panes transmit a large amount of infrared rays, this leads to the fact that the room is very hot. And if you use special glass, with an insert made of the thinnest gold film, then most of the infrared radiation will be reflected, thereby lowering the temperature of the building. Such glass is also used in the production of viewing windows for electric locomotives, aircraft, ships, etc. For this, an electric current is passed through it, as a result of which the glass acquires an anti-fog property.

Gold is also being researched for the purposes of the nuclear industry. Here it is used for the manufacture of coatings for mirrors that operate in the far infrared range, for the manufacture of a neutron bomb shell. Thin plates, which are made of soft gold alloy, are used in ultra-high vacuum technology.

The oldest method of using gold is gilding metal(for example, domes of temples and churches). In this case, the noble metal is used for the purpose of combating corrosion and giving the product an expensive look. But this method has a significant drawback: the gold plating is too soft. The degree of resistance of gold to chemical and mechanical stress is much lower than that of other platonoids, but it is irreplaceable in the manufacture of electrical contacts. In microelectronics, gold conductors and galvanic coatings of connectors, printed circuit boards, and contact surfaces are widely used. Gold solders effectively wet the metal surface, which led to its use in the soldering of various metals.

It has long been known that if gold is rolled into the thinnest sheets, which have a bluish tint in the light, the smallest pores are formed in the metal. Such sheets can serve as the so-called molecular sieve... In America, attempts were made to create such an installation that would separate uranium isotopes on a golden molecular sieve. For this, a thin foil was made from several tons of noble metal, but the idea did not advance further. For some unknown reason, the gold was melted back into ingots.

When steel comes into contact with hydrogen, gas is released, which is incorporated into the metal and makes it brittle. This phenomenon is called "hydrogen brittleness". To eliminate this phenomenon, parts that are installed on devices, and sometimes even entire devices, are coated with a layer of gold. This is a very expensive technology, but this measure is necessary, since the damage caused by hydrogen fragility is too significant.

In addition to industrial sectors, gold is also used in medicine. For example, in dentistry, crowns and dentures made of gold alloys with other metals are used. In pharmacology: some medicines contain gold compounds. Radioactive gold is used to fight malignant tumors. On the pages of the site www .. We sincerely hope that these materials will be useful to you.

In this article:

What is gold for in the modern world? The precious metal is used in many areas of human activity. Almost any device, from a smartphone to a car, contains some amount of the precious metal. Gold has a unique set of properties that no other metal has. Although scientists are constantly looking for its substitute in industry, so far no universal miracle cure has been found.

Ancient civilizations used gold for more than just jewelry and money. In ancient Egypt, gold was used to treat teeth, in Sumer, medicinal tinctures and potions were made from it. In ancient Greece, gold found its use in sculpture. The statue of Parthenon Athena was made entirely of gold. The throne of Zeus at Olympia was decorated with gold.

Gold in industry

In the Middle Ages, gold products served as an indicator of a person's status: not only jewelry was made of it, but also various items from dishes to religious items. Powder of gold, dissolved in water, was used to treat fever, leprosy, and many other diseases.

In our time, gold has not lost its functions, but only increased its scope. Not only jewelry is made of gold, but also cosmetic masks, it is used in cooking and pharmaceuticals. But it is much more important that gold is actively used in industry - ten percent of the mined metal is used here.

Industrial applications

The exceptional malleability and ductility of gold made it possible to use it in construction. A coin-sized ingot can be rolled into a sheet the size of a square meter. Gold foil, and was later used to cover the domes of temples. For three centuries, gold has been used in the glass industry.

Scientific and technological progress has significantly expanded the scope of gold. This is due to its physical and chemical characteristics. It is highly resistant to aggressive media and corrosion. Possesses unique electrical conductivity, slightly inferior to copper and silver. The ability of gold to reflect infrared rays is close to one hundred percent, in alloys it has catalytic properties.

All this led to the use of gold in such areas:

  • space and aviation;
  • transport;
  • medicine;
  • chemical industry;
  • construction (building glazing);
  • electronics and communications;
  • nanotechnology.

1) Astronautics and aviation.

So that parts of space and aircraft engines do not succumb to corrosion, gold alloys are used to solder contacts. Gold reliably protects against infrared radiation, so it is added to the light filters of the spacesuit helmets.

Although astronautics cannot do without gold, it is used in small quantities. So, for 37 years, NASA needed 41 kilograms of gold to build rockets.

2) Transport.

A modern car is equipped with microcircuits, which also contain gold. It began to be used in the car security system.

It is used in microcircuits that are responsible for anti-blocking of the brake system, in sensors that activate airbags in collisions and accidents. Nanocoating from steel is used in exhaust systems to reduce emissions of harmful chemicals into the environment.

3) Electronics.

Gold is found in mobile phones and other means of communication. Aurum is used in miniature switches. Alloying gold with platinum group metals helps the phone to withstand a huge number of switchings without "sticking", responding to every impulse.

One smartphone has a gold content of 0.024 grams. You can extract as much gold from 40-50 phones as from one ton of ore. But this is theoretically. Reverse galvanization is a more costly process than mining.

The use of gold nanoparticles has an advantage in the manufacture of displays. Gold helps to solve the problem of a shortage of indium metal, which is used in the creation of touch screens for displays. According to the calculations of scientists, indium on Earth is catastrophically small, its reserves will be enough for 30 years.

Gold is used in measuring technology. It is necessary for temperature control. Mostly used are alloys of gold with cobalt or chromium. In the chemical industry, gold is mainly used for cladding steel pipes for the transport of corrosive substances.

4) Energy.

Gold has found use in modern systems that store solar energy. Precious metal is used for glazing buildings: the thinnest film of a colloidal building on a glass cloth prevents the air from heating up. Already today, many buildings in the USA and Japan are being commissioned with gold-plated insulating glass units. In Toronto, 70 kilograms of gold were used in the construction of a skyscraper with 14 thousand windows.

Gold in medicine

Everyone knows that gold is widely used in dentistry, but in other areas of medicine, aurum is also needed. It is used in prosthetics, in the manufacture of medical instruments, modern hearing aids.


Gold in dentistry

The use of gold in medicines is indicated for rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus and some other diseases. It was used in the treatment of some oncological diseases as early as 70 years ago.

Nanotechnology has expanded the range of medical applications for gold. Preparations are being developed in which gold nanoparticles help to point-wise transport the delivery of the drug to the diseased organ.

Gold as a financial instrument

Gold is the most popular metal to invest in. It is considered a reliable insurance against political and economic crises. Many countries of the world have their own gold reserves. The total volume of reserves of all countries is 30 thousand tons. Over time, the volume of reserves decreased, so 50 years ago, gold reserves in vaults reached 38 tons.

Gold reserves mean economic independence. Also, the gold reserve plays the role of an anti-crisis reserve and stabilization - adjusting the exchange rate of the national currency. The United States has the largest reserve: 75 percent of the world's reserve. But many experts believe (this opinion is shared by President Donald Trump) that the country does not have that much gold. This opinion is based on the fact that the audit of the gold reserves was carried out in 1953.

Part or all of the gold reserves of over 60 other countries of the world are stored in the United States. Germany ranks second in terms of quantity. The third is the International Monetary Fund.

Russia ranks seventh in the world in terms of the amount of gold reserves: there are 1,614.3 tons of gold in storage.

There is an opinion that if gold were not used as a means of investment, and the priority was its use in industry, then scientific and technological progress would have swept the planet even faster. This is especially true in the field of space exploration.

Gold has long established itself as an element of the global financial system. The reserves of this metal are small, which is why, over the course of history, gold was practically not lost, no matter what cataclysms the human society had to endure: the yellow metal was melted and accumulated. Products made of gold and ingots today act as the most important objects for investment of funds. The use of gold is not limited to investment. The metal is used in the production of jewelry, in the implementation of modern technologies in various industries, as well as in medicine.

Industrial value of gold

The value of the yellow metal for industrial production is due to its special properties: malleability and ductility. Thanks to these qualities, a micron wire or an ultra-thin sheet of foil can be made from raw materials.

Gold is characterized by a high degree of resistance to aggressive environments. This property allows the metal to be used in the chemical industry and electronics, even despite the lower thermal and electrical conductivity compared to the same copper.

The use of gold in modern industry is most often found in:

  • Transport industry;
  • Chemistry and petrochemical production;
  • Energy;
  • Electronics and measuring instruments manufacturing;
  • Telecommunications;
  • Nanotechnology;
  • Aviation and space industry.

Metal has become widespread as a welding material in the production of the latest technology samples, the production of thermocouples, and parts for galvanometers. In terms of its chemical and mechanical resistance, gold lags behind most of the platinoids, but it is irreplaceable as a raw material for electrical contacts. In the field of microelectronics, both gold conductors and galvanic gold plating of individual surfaces, boards and connectors are widely used.

Where else is gold used in industry? Metal is used as a solder when soldering metals, as it wets working surfaces well. Gold is also irreplaceable in the defense industry: targets for nuclear research are made of it, used as a coating for mirrors designed to operate in the far infrared range, and used for a neutron bomb shell. Galvanic gold plating of metals eliminates corrosion processes, and thin plates made of soft gold alloys are important in the field of ultrahigh vacuum research.

Due to the ability of gold to reflect infrared rays, man has found another use for the metal: the glass industry. The metallization of building windows consists of an insert of a thin gold film. Such measures allow to ensure that most of the rays are reflected and to avoid heating the building. If an electric current is passed through such glass, it will acquire anti-fog properties, which are indispensable for the manufacture of glasses for large vehicles - airplanes, electric locomotives, sea vessels.

The use of gold in the aviation and space industry may seem somewhat strange, because the weight of the metal is quite large. Gold is used where corrosion cannot be prevented in any way: this is the connection of parts of aircraft engines, and the places where electrical contacts are soldered, and the covering of shuttle windows with gold film.

Jewelry industry

Jewelry production has always been and remains the largest consumer of yellow metal. Gold jewelry has existed for many centuries, at least one can recall the ancient Egyptian pharaohs and the decoration of their tombs. Wearing gold items used to have a slightly different meaning: they were amulets against diseases, attacks, witchcraft. In the modern world, jewelry made of yellow metal embodies the status of their owner in society, and also carries aesthetic beauty.

The fashion for this metal is unlikely to pass over time, so the question of where gold is still used by a person can be safely answered - in jewelry. The assortment of gold jewelry is quite extensive; rings, earrings, chains, cufflinks, fingers and other products are made of metal. Jewelers make their masterpieces not from pure gold, but from its alloys. This is explained by the fact that pure metal is very soft and does not have the necessary strength in relation to mechanical stress.

In order to achieve the desired characteristics, in production, they first make an alloy of the metal with other additives, the main of which are silver and copper. Other components of the alloy include palladium, zinc, cobalt and nickel. The ratio of the components determines the fineness of the alloy. Gold provides resistance to corrosion processes, but the mechanical properties of the alloy and its color shade depend on the content of other metals. Depending on the ratio of metals in the alloy, gold jewelry has one of the shades of a three-color palette: yellow, white and red gold are distinguished.

Ring made of "red" gold.

The use of gold in jewelry dyeing accounts for about half of the total amount of metal used by humans.

Another significant item of expenditure of precious metal reserves - about 10% - is medicine.

Gold in medicine

Due to its good malleability and ability not to oxidize, gold has been widely used in dentistry since ancient times. For dentures and crowns, it takes, as well as for jewelry, not pure gold, but its alloys. All the same silver, copper, zinc, platinum are used as additional components. The result is a product with good ductility, excellent corrosion resistance and high mechanical properties - all that is required for dental prosthetics.

Where else is gold used for medicinal purposes? Pharmacology remains one of the most important areas of precious metal use. Metal compounds are a component of some drugs that are used in the treatment of arthritis, malignant tumors, and tuberculosis. Examples of the use of gold in medicine include water-soluble preparations containing a precious metal, which are administered as injections to a patient with chronic arthritis, gold thiosulfate administered to patients with erythematous lupus, organic metal compounds used in tuberculosis.

Radioactive gold, used in oncology for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors, gold threads in aesthetic cosmetology, gold-containing preparations for skin care, which, thanks to the antimicrobial effect of metal, help to eliminate skin problems and rejuvenate them.

The advances in science that have presented gold-containing preparations to mankind have made it possible to achieve great results in the treatment of many diseases, especially in oncology, where radioactive gold is used, or rather the colloidal particles of its isotopes. In addition, the simple wearing of gold jewelry helps to cope with some ailments. The thesis about the beneficial effects of gold on the human body is actively used in alternative medicine recipes:

  • Improves memory, prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
  • Strengthens the heart and the entire circulatory system;
  • Helps to cope with colds;
  • Adds vivacity and energy.

The beneficial properties of gold may not always be beneficial to a particular person. Before being treated with gold, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Even the simple wearing of precious metal products can cause a negative reaction in the body: fever, pain in the intestines, kidney problems, hair loss and even depression. Such phenomena do occur in some people who have been in constant contact with gold.

The use of gold as an industrial and medicinal metal in the life of people is quite extensive. Its applications include spacecraft engines, gold rings on the fingers of modern women of fashion, and dentures in the dentist's office. Gold as a precious metal has retained its investment, industrial, jewelry and medical purposes for several millennia. This trend is unlikely to be interrupted in the future, the properties of the yellow metal will always be used by scientists, expanding the boundaries of its modern application.

Gold was one of the first metals that people began to use, and jewelry was made from it even at a time when stone and wood were the main materials. All this is due to one property - the element is often found in nature in an almost pure form, nuggets.

For a long time, gold remained only a means of payment and a material for jewelry. Over time, the metal has become indispensable in medicine, electrical engineering, weapons production and other sectors of the economy of all countries of the world. Despite the replacement of monetary standards, any country is trying to secure itself a certain gold reserve.

However, where did this chemical element come from (in the table of chemical elements of D. I. Mendeleev, gold is designated as Au (aurum) at number 79), how is it mined and used?

What gold looks like: chemical and physical properties

Gold nuggets

Gold is a noble metal, many have heard this name, but what does it mean?

Chemical properties. As a chemical element, it practically does not react, and does not lend itself to the effects of aggressive substances. In short, gold does not oxidize, making it an ideal material in many industries.

Physical properties. What does gold look like? In its pure form, it is a rich yellow, rather soft metal, at the same time dense, which determines the significant weight of the products.

If you take kilogram of gold and make a ball out of it, then it will be a sphere with a diameter of only 46.2 mm!

Pure material is very simple to process, easy to melt (melting point 1064 °), forge (very thin sheet can be made) and stretching.

Insignificant hardness is the main disadvantage, which is eliminated by adding impurities to the metal: silver, copper, platinum and steel. This is how various types of gold appeared.

Varieties of metal

Banking gold

There are two main types of gold - banking and jewelry.

In the first variant, the purity of the metal is very important, where the main standard of 999 assay is adopted. This means that such a sample does not have any impurities of other elements. Such ingots are stored in state reserves and are sold by banks as investments.

For jewelry gold, strength and durability are important. Therefore, pure gold is not used in jewelry because of its softness. Therefore, varieties such as yellow, white, red, pink, gray and even green gold appeared.

Additives and the percentage of all elements in jewelry gold determine its price. The amount of gold indicates the fineness, and it shows how much of the noble metal is in the product. For example, the most common 585 fineness means that the product contains 58.5% pure gold, and the rest is impurities.

The use of precious metal in various industries

Until the 20th century, yellow metal was exclusively a means of payment and decoration. And only with a leap in technological progress, they began to use it more and more in industries. But even today all significant volumes are concentrated as reserve stocks of means of payment of states.

10% of all available gold is found in industrial products. The main direction of production, where it is used, remains electrical engineering. Also, the element is indispensable in the production of neutron bombs, nuclear fusion, in the space industry.

A very thin layer of precious metal can be used in windows to reflect infrared radiation for energy saving purposes.

Gold is irreplaceable in medicine, especially in dentistry and pharmacology.

Popular mobile communications use this element, each SIM card has a thin gold plating.

The main use of precious metal- this is the gold reserve of the state, about 32,000 tons of the precious metal are stored in all the gold and foreign exchange reserves of the world.

The remaining volumes are personal investment funds of residents and jewelry.

Interesting theories of the origin of the yellow metal. According to one of the hypotheses, the element was formed as a result of the destruction of neutron stars and subsequent accumulation on our planet. And according to another theory, gold was brought in several billion years ago by asteroids. In any case, all the available reserves of the noble metal on Earth were formed a very long time ago - 3 - 3.5 billion years ago.

Even 100-150 years ago, in the absence of knowledge about the origin of the yellow metal, its production was comparable to gambling. Today, with an accurate understanding of the formation of gold in certain rocks, gold mining has reached an industrial level with accurate data on how much of the precious element can be removed from each deposit.

Over the entire history of gold mining in the world, about 160 thousand tons of yellow metal have been obtained. And the bulk of this mass was extracted during the last 100 years.

Leading countries in gold mining

If until relatively recently the South African region was considered the leader in gold mining, today other countries have taken the leading positions.

According to the latest data of 2016, the next top 5 countries of leaders in gold mining can be made.

Peru, South Africa, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Ghana, Brazil and New Guinea retain their positions among the leaders in gold mining.

For the entire 2016 year, 3104 tons of the precious metal were extracted, with each new year this figure is growing, although this is hampered by the gradual depletion of the mines.

Famous gold deposits

The largest deposits and developments in gold mining are several mines: Muruntau (Uzbekistan), Grasberg (Indonesia), Goldstrike (USA), Cortes (USA), Pueblo Viejo (Dominican Republic). The volume of mined metal in these places ranges from 60 to 30 tons per year. There are also two largest first gold deposits that are currently not being developed: Pebble Deposit in Alaska, USA and Natalka Kolyma, Russia.

Large deposits of precious metal in Russia, where development or preparation for gold mining is underway

Deposits where the composition of gold in the rock is 2-5 grams per ton of rock are considered to be profitable for development. Today these standards are constantly being revised. For example, the Natalka deposit is currently being prepared for development, and gold mining will begin in the near future.

All major global mine development is owned by only a few companies conducting prospecting and production of gold around the world. There are leading companies in Russia (see).

The amount of gold mined depends on the types of deposits being developed.

Gold mining in Russia

In our country, the main areas for gold mining are concentrated in Transbaikalia and Siberia. There are also deposits in the Urals, but at the moment they are being depleted, since this region has historically become the first where prospecting and development of deposits began.

In the European part of the country, there are insignificant reserves of the precious metal on the territory of the Leningrad Region. At the moment, the "Leningradskie" fields are considered unprofitable for industrial production. Although back in the 19th century, there were imperial prospecting artels here. Now "black prospectors" are looking for gold in this region.

The bulk of the mined precious metal is extracted from ore mined at primary deposits. Gold mining in Russia at placers has not lost its relevance, but volumes are gradually decreasing due to the depletion of such deposits.

Mine gold mining

Where is gold mined and how are rich rocks found? Extraction of noble metal occurs in two main types of deposits: primary and loose. What's the difference between them?

Where is gold found in nature?

Primary deposits are gold-bearing rocks that are brought to the surface from quarries or mines. The most common is the career mining method. Such deposits should be sought in regions with a rich history of mountain building and volcanic activity, since it is the processes of melting and movement of rocks that form deposits of precious metals. The main volumes of mined gold today have been obtained precisely from primary deposits.

Loose deposits gold in nature today is very depleted. They are gold-bearing crushed rocks along the banks of rivers and streams. Formed as a result of the destruction and erosion of bedrock deposits with the subsequent transfer and deposition of gold particles. The peculiarity of such deposits is the presence of native metal.

The largest nugget in history was found in Australia in the second halfXIX century, the weight of pure gold in it was about 90 Kg... The second largest weighed approximately 70 Kg... The Russian record holder among nuggets had a mass 36 kg.

Today, gold mining is a rather lengthy and labor-intensive process that requires the processing of huge masses of rocks to obtain even an insignificant amount of the precious metal.

Mining of floating gold alluvial placers manually using a tray

On our planet, gold can be found everywhere, it is present even in river and sea water. However, the concentration is often so negligible that the extraction of the element is simply not economically feasible.

Initially, the main method of mining the precious metal was the mining of placers. Extraction was carried out by a very primitive method, by manually washing the mass of rock in a special tray. Since gold is heavier than many rocks, it settled on the bowl. Since antiquity, they have been mining in mines. How is gold mined today, what technological processes are used to extract it from the rock?

Until now, ancient adits have survived in the deserts of Egypt, reaching a depth of 100 meters where gold was mined 2000 years ago.

In the modern mining industry, all developments are mechanized and carried out with the involvement of specialized equipment.

The technological chain for the development of placers is as follows:

  1. diversion of the river bed;
  2. stripping works (removal of the upper layer of rocks);
  3. extraction of gold-bearing rock;
  4. flushing;
  5. cleaning;
  6. enrichment;
  7. remelting.

In cold regions, such production is seasonal; in winter, flushing stops.

Mass production is carried out in the development of primary deposits open (career) or closed (mine) way(cm. .

Gold-bearing rock also goes through the stage of extraction to the surface, grinding, beneficiation and separation of gold from impurities.

Gold Ingot Casting Process

The whole process of extracting gold is based on its physical and chemical properties. One of the oldest is the use of mercury. In this way, precious metal particles were separated back in the days of Ancient Rome. The rock was mined and crushed, after which mercury was added to it. It formed an alloy (amalgam) with gold-bearing sludge. Then the mercury was distilled off, and the sludge was allowed to process. This method of gold mining is possible only in very rich deposits, today it is practically not used.

Gold is separated by gravitational differentiation, when the mined rock is crushed with cast iron balls in mills and sent to a centrifuge. Under the influence of centrifugal force, the heavy precious metal particles are separated from the base rock.

There are other techniques based on the chemical properties of gold, such as cyanidation or leaching.

They are also looking for the noble metal in the dumps of old developments. An elementary way of such surveys is the use of modern metal detectors.

Well-known deposits are gradually being depleted, and companies are starting to develop those deposits that were previously recognized as unprofitable. This contributes to the development of technology for the extraction and extraction of gold.

Today gold is valued all over the world. There is not a single girl who would not dream of gold jewelry. The precious metal has gained immense popularity for a long time. Even in ancient times, it was used to make jewelry, amulets and dishes. Today it will not be difficult to purchase a gold item. Numerous jewelry stores offer a huge assortment.

A bit of history

Few people know that gold is the first metal found by mankind. The history of the discovery of a chemical element begins from the Neolithic era. Gold for several millennia BC was widely used in Ancient Egypt, China, Rome, India. The reference to the precious metal can be found in the Odyssey, the Bible and other monuments of ancient literature. Ancient alchemists called gold "the king of metals." And it was designated by the symbol of the sun.

In those places where the first civilizations were born, they began to mine gold on a large scale. This is the eastern Mediterranean, the Indus Valley, North Africa. Gold prefers solitude. Most often it is found in its native form. In ancient times, the metal was collected by hand. To collect one gram of gold, one had to work for days.

The history of the chemical element is closely related to various geographical discoveries. Gold could be found almost immediately on new land.

Gold in nature

The chemical element Gold is widespread in nature. On average, the lithosphere contains about 4.3 · 10 - 7%, based on mass. The cost of the metal is high due to the complexity of its extraction. Gold is also found in igneous rocks. Here it is scattered. Hydrothermal gold deposits are formed in the earth's crust, which plays a huge role in industry. In its native state, this metal is most often mined in ores. Only in rare cases are minerals formed with bismuth, antimony, selenium, etc.

The chemical element Gold is also found in the biosphere. Here it migrates in combination with various organic compounds. Metal is often found in river suspensions. One liter of natural water can contain about 4 · 10 -9% of the precious metal. In places of gold ore deposits in groundwater, gold can be contained in much larger quantities. As the history of the chemical element testifies, it was possible to find gold even in the form of whole deposits of the precious metal underground.

Today, gold is mined in 40 countries around the world. The main reserves of the precious metal are concentrated in the CIS countries, Canada, South Africa.

Physical properties of precious metal

Gold is a fairly ductile metal. It lends itself easily to mechanical stress. Good quality gold can be drawn into wire or forged into flat sheets. The metal is resistant to various chemical influences, conducts electricity and heat easily. at room temperature is about 19.32 g / cm 3.

The chemical element Gold is characterized by a bright yellow color, provided that there are no impurities. But pure gold is practically not found in nature. Even in bank ingots, the metal is not presented in a perfectly pure form. In nature, it is found with the addition of silver, copper, etc.

Gold is fairly easy to polish. Due to its good reflectivity, the metal is highly valued in jewelry. It's amazing that even the sun's rays can pass through thin sheets of precious metal. At the same time, their temperature will decrease. It is no coincidence that the chemical element Gold is used in modern construction for tinting windows.

Chemical properties of gold

As the history of the discovery of the chemical element testifies, Gold was known long before the appearance of the periodic table. But metal also takes pride of place in it. In the table, Gold is indicated under atomic number 79 and is denoted by the Latin letters Au. The valence of the precious metal in chemical compounds is usually +1 or +3.

For many centuries, chemists have carried out a huge number of experiments on gold. It was found that oxygen and sulfur, which have a corrosive effect on most metals, have absolutely no effect on gold. The only exception can be its atoms on the surface.

The composition of gold determines its chemical properties. The metal does not react with phosphorus, hydrogen, nitrogen. But with halogens, Gold forms compounds when heated. With chlorine, a reaction occurs even at room temperature. only available in laboratories. But in everyday life, a solution of potassium iodide and iodine can pose a danger to metal.

And alkalis in most cases do not act on gold. It is on this property that the method of determining the authenticity of a precious metal is based. Few people know how gold is found among a variety of jewelry. The decoration is poured with nitric acid. Gold will not change its appearance when exposed to the chemical. But another metal can react.

How is gold found?

Most often, gold is mined from alluvial deposits. In this case, the elimination method is used. It is based on the difference in density and gold. Only true professionals can know how to get high quality gold.

Methods such as amalgamation and cyanidation are popular. Thus, gold mining began in America and Africa at the end of the nineteenth century. Today, primary deposits are the main sources of obtaining the precious metal. The composition of gold can depend on the rocks that are nearby. And also from the climatic environment.

Initially, the gold rock is crushed and treated with a sodium solution, or Then the material is purified by electrolysis. Prepare a bath with a hydrochloric acid solution in advance. When current passes through the rock, impurities precipitate out. The result is a refined precious metal.

Where is gold used?

Many people are familiar with gold in the form of jewelry. Meanwhile, the metal is widely used in various industries. In this case, the composition of gold may be somewhat different. Alloys with other metals are often used. This not only saves expensive material, but also increases its durability. The precious metal becomes more resistant to various mechanical damage.

The quality of gold that is used in industry is indicated by the fineness. Thus, you can find out how "clean" the material is. Most often, the precious metal is diluted with copper. Silver alloys can be used in electrical engineering. The most expensive are gold-platinum alloys. This material is used in the jewelry industry, as well as in the production of chemically resistant hardware. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Gold compounds have also been used in photography. With the help of a chemical element, toning was performed.

Gold as an element of art

Gold has been used in jewelry since ancient times. Today this type of industry is one of the most profitable. Many products developed by designers were put on stream. But handmade jewelry remains relevant today. Making such products is a real art that deserves close attention.

Since the discovery of the chemical element, people began to use gold for the manufacture of jewelry and various decor. Today, designers who not only develop products, but also make them on their own, have good earnings. Handwork combined with expensive material gives excellent results. All jewelry is beautiful and original.

Gold in the economy

In the conditions of commodity production, it is gold that performs the function of the universal equivalent. The value of this metal is difficult to overestimate. The material has its own consumer value. In many cases, the precious metal can even replace money. And gold is valued due to its properties. It can act as the best monetary commodity. Gold is stored for a long time, does not lend itself to chemical attack, is easily divided and processed.

One and the same ingot can be used in industry, and then, with a little processing, it can become a material for making jewelry. We can say that this precious metal is immortal.

Banking sector

In ancient times, gold was used only for making jewelry. Further, it became an excellent means of saving and accumulating wealth. Those who knew how to get gold did not need to think about tomorrow. After all, precious metal has cost quite a lot at all times.

Today, gold is widely used to make coins. But the precious metal does not enter the money circulation. Coins or bars are held by financial institutions as savings. Investing in precious metals is at the peak of its popularity today. Thus, you can not only save money, but also increase it.

What does sample mean?

With the development of industry, many companies have learned to make high-quality jewelry, which outwardly practically does not differ from real gold. An unscrupulous seller will easily sell a dummy to a gullible buyer. Therefore, everyone should know how to choose a gold piece correctly.

First of all, the quality of this precious metal is determined by the breakdown. Even if a piece of jewelry is marketed from abroad, a state stamp is put on it. The most common are products They contain 58.5% pure gold. Products of 999 assay are not found in mass sales. But on the ingots that fill the state gold fund, it costs 990 samples.

What color will tell?

Gold pieces of the same sample may differ in color. The appearance of the finished item depends on impurities. Platinum and nickel give the alloy a light hue. Copper and cobalt produce dark colored jewelry.

This alloy is very popular today thanks to the addition of silver and copper. But exclusive black gold is created using cobalt and chrome. In many cases, consumers overpay for fashion trends. At the same time, the gold content in the product can be minimal. In just a few years, a piece of jewelry can be depreciated. Therefore, preference should still be given to the classic yellow metal.

How to confirm the quality of the jewelry?

Many may be tempted to find out the true cost of a piece of jewelry. You can contact a private expert, but in this case the result will not be documented. The exact percentage of gold and impurities in a piece of jewelry can be determined at the State Assay Office. After the procedure, the consumer is issued a certificate confirming the quality. The product itself does not deteriorate during the examination.

Where can I buy gold?

It all depends on the ultimate goals. If you need to buy a piece of jewelry as a gift, you can contact any specialized store. Much cheaper quality gold jewelry can be purchased online. Preference should be given to the traditional one.It contains the most precious metal in its purest form. Such a product can serve for a long time and will even be inherited.

Bank gold bars are suitable for investment. Each financial institution offers its own terms for purchasing gold. But the most profitable investment does not necessarily guarantee reliability. Preference should be given to banks that have been operating for more than 10 years and receive positive feedback from existing customers.