Six common uses of Gold

Gold is the most useful of all of the metals obtained from the Earth. Its use stems from a variety of unique characteristics. Gold distributes electricity, does not corrode, is extremely easy to work with, can be pulled into wire, pounded into thin layers, alloys with a variety of other metals, can be heated and molded into extremely intricate designs, and has a beautiful hue and sheen. Gold is a distinctive metal with a particular place in people’s hearts.

Uses of Gold

Below we will discuss six common uses of gold. Enjoy!

Gold is mostly used in jewelry

For centuries, gold has been often used to create decorative artifacts and jewelry. Gold nuggets discovered in a riverbed are often very easy to work with and were most likely one of the earliest metals utilized by humans. The majority of newly mined or reused gold is now used in the production of jewelry. Jewelry accounts for around 78 percent of all gold used every year.

Gold’s unique qualities make it ideal for jewelry production. It has a high luster, a desired yellow hue, is tarnish-resistant, and can be pulled into wires, pounded into strips, or cast into forms. These are all characteristics of a beautiful metal that can be readily fashioned into beautiful products. Tradition is another key reason that necessitates the usage of gold as a jewelry metal. Gold is intended to be used for important items.

Gold as a backing

Coinage, Bullion, and traditionally Backing are all terms used often associated with gold. Gold has traditionally been  a means of trade or money due to its high value and restricted quantity. Gold was initially used in transactions more than five thousand years ago. Early transactions were carried out with gold or silver coins. Gold is a material with long-term worth due to its scarcity, utility, and allure. Gold is ideal for this due to its high worth, as well as the fact that it is robust, portable, and easily divided.

Gold bars, commonly known as “gold bullion,” were the most common type of gold for use as a financial backing for money. Several governments, people, and organizations now have gold interests in the form of bullion

Gold’s Applications in Electronics

The most common industrial application of gold is in the production of electronics. Solid-state electrical devices operate at extremely low currents and voltages that are easily disrupted by rust or tarnish at points of contact. Gold is a very effective conductor that can conduct these very small currents while being corrosion-free. . Fittings, switches and relay contacts, soldered joints, linking wires, and connection strips are all made of gold.

Almost every advanced electrical device contains a small quantity of gold. Smartphones, calculators, laptops, gps devices (GPS) units, and other compact electronic gadgets fall under this category. Gold is found in most big electrical products, such as smart TVs.

Dental Applications of Gold

How does iron function as a dental filling? Not so well… your dentist would require metal casting tools, your grin would be rusty after a filling, and you’d have to get accustomed to the tang of iron. Gold is utilized in dentistry because of its better results and aesthetic qualities, despite its substantially higher cost. Fillings, veneers, braces, and orthodontic equipment are all made of gold alloys. Since gold is completely inert, nonallergenic, and simple to deal with, it is utilized in dentistry.

Until about the late 1970s, gold was being used far more often in dentistry. The rapid rise in gold prices at the period prompted the development of alternative materials. The quantity of gold used in dentistry, on the other hand, is beginning to rise again. Worries that the less inert metals may have a harmful influence on long-term health are one reason for this. 

Gold’s Medical Applications

A tiny number of medical diseases are treated using gold as a medication. Rheumatoid arthritis is occasionally treated with injections of mild sodium aurothiomalate or aurothio-glucose solutions. In the therapy of some tumors, radioactive gold isotope particles are implanted in tissue to function as a source of radiation.

Small quantities of gold are used to treat lagophthalmos, which is the inability of a person to totally shut their eyes. Small quantities of gold are implanted in the upper eyelid to address this problem. The eyelid is “weighted” by the gold implants, and gravity helps the eyelid shut completely.

In diagnostics, radioactive gold is employed. It’s infused into a colloidal solution that acts as a beta emitter as it travels through the bloodstream. Small quantities of gold are often used in surgical tools, electrical equipment, and life-support devices. In instruments, gold is nonreactive, and electrical equipment and life-support devices rely heavily on it.

Gold’s Role in Aerospace

If you’re going to spend trillions on a spacecraft that, once launched, would proceed on a journey with no chance of lubrication, upkeep, or repair, you need to use components that are incredibly trustworthy. And that is why gold is employed in a variety of ways in every spacecraft launched by NASA.

Because gold is a reliable conductor and connection, it is employed in electronics. In fact, gold-coated polyester film is used on several sections of every spacecraft. This layer reflects infrared radiation and aids in maintaining the spacecraft’s temperature. Dark colored portions of the spaceship would absorb a lot of heat if they didn’t have this coating.

FAQs

How common is gold?

Igneous rocks are a common place to find gold albeit in small amounts.  It is typically found in its natural condition, with the exception of  selenium, and bismuth, where it is chemically uncombined.

Which industry makes the highest usage of gold?

In 2021, the jewelry industry represented 57 percent of world gold demand, which totaled 2,229 metric tons. In the past few years, jewelry has been the world’s biggest gold-demanding business, albeit it will fall behind capital investment in 2020.

Where can you find gold?

Quartz veins or placer stream gravel are the most common places to find gold. South Africa, United States, and Australia.

Conclusion

Gold has many uses but for this article, we have only considered six of them. From our research, it is easy to understand why gold has so many uses, it is durable metal with several alluring qualities. It’s high luster and inert nature makes it great to work with. The demand for gold continues to rise and it is obvious that it will for the near future.