Gold
Short DescriptionGold is a remarkable, rare metal, with an unparalleled combination of chemical and physical properties. It is the only yellow metal and bears its name from the Old English word for yellow, 'geolu'. It is also the only metal that forms no oxide film on it's surface in air at normal temperatures, meaning that it will never rust or tarnish.
Since ancient times, gold has been treasured not only for its beauty, for also for its permanence. Unlike base metals, its resistance to oxidation makes it last indefinitely under normal circumstances. Even sterling silver is not immune to tarnishing, despite its own popularity. This longevity is part of what gives gold its desirability, and as a commodity it is recognized as being a remarkably stable long-term store of value.
A large portion of the gold that is unearthed today goes into fine jewelry manufacturing, where it is combined with various alloys. These lend to it their colors, producing a range from the more common "white gold" to the lesser-known green and rose golds. The ratio of alloys to pure (24 karat) gold determines its karat weight, which in turn determines its price, hardness, and workability. 10 karat gold (10 parts out of 24), is the lowest ratio of gold to alloys that can legally be sold in the United States. It is also the hardest, with the alloys lending strength to the naturally soft metal, as well as the least expensive. Additionally, gold is the most malleable and ductile of all metals: one ounce of gold can be beaten out into a flat sheet measuring 300 square feet.
Gold has another value, however. During the 20th century it emerged as an industrial metal, due to its electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion. It can be found today in the inner workings of computers, spacecrafts, jet engines, and communications equipment, among many other things. It is a great asset to current technologies.
Gold is number 6 on the periodic table of elements. Its symbol is: AU.
With historical, linguistic, chemical, and metalurgical perspectives on gold.
Web Elements
Gold from a chemistry perspective, with a focus on gold isolation. (Great comic about elements).
Gold Prospecting
General Interest Publication with information on prospecting for gold in the United States. Sections include: Placer Deposites; Lode Gold; Selected References on Gold.
List of UsesGold has been prized by people since the earliest times for making statues and icons and also for jewelry to adorn their bodies. Intricately sculptured art objects and adornment jewelry have been uncovered in the Sumerian royal Tombs in southern Iraq and the tombs of Egyptian kings. Significant buildings and religious temples and statues have been covered with thinly beaten sheets of gold. Due to its rarity, gold has long been considered a symbol of the wealth and power of its possessor.
Precious Metal Uses
computer chips, electronic applications, dentistry, medicine, porcelain dinnerware, jet engines, jewelry manufacturing, decoration, automobile air bags, communications equipment, heat reflective glass coating, currency...
Mining InformationMajor improvements in technology in recent years have had a significant impact on mineral exploration. Anglesey Mining has been at the forefront of the application and use of new methods and technologies and advanced instruments to help unravel the geological mysteries of Parys ountain.
Refining InformationThe Minataur™ Process (Mintek Alternative Technology for Au Refining) is able to produce gold of 99.99 per cent or higher purity from feeds with a wide range of gold contents. The novel solvent-extraction route is highly selective for gold recovery in the presence of silver, the platinum-group metals (PGMs), and base metals.
A visual breakdown of how silver and gold are refined and processed, either as high-grade or low-grade materials.
An article covering commonly used methods for metal recovery in the god jewelry industry including cupellation, inquartation/parting, Miller chlorination, Wohlwill electrolytic, fizzer cell, and the aqua regia. Each method is described in detail.
Major Countries of ProductionGraphs and charts of historical gold production worldwide from 1900 until 2001 from major gold-producing contres around the world like South Africa, Russia, Canada, the United States, and Australia
Gold is a world produced commodity, with production scattered across the world. South Africa is the world’s largest producer of gold, with Australia, Canada, the United States, and Brazil respectively being the other major producing nations.
Sector ForecastInformation about the London and New York exchanges markets for gold including investment links and past pricing trends.
Editorial article on the health of the current investment environment in gold, its past price trends and some future scin nased on these trends.
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