Gold- A Precious Metal

Gold is an element and chemists call it "Aurum", with its chemical name. Since very early times, the gold is considered and seen as the most precious thing on Earth. This metal exists in rocks usually in mountains and old soil deposits. Looking at it, it gives a shiny, softer and malleable look and is ductile. Pure and clean gold is yellowish in color and has a great luster and shine. The important thing about this element, that it persist its luster property in air and water, whereas other elements usually do not. It is said that up to now, total gold which has been dug out and purified is about the size of a cube of 20 meters of each side. The most widely used industry consuming gold is the jewelry and ornamentation.

 

In science, it is used in electronics for which it is proved to be the most perfect conductor and conducts electricity much more than silicon. In addition, it is used in dentistry. It is also used for cutting glasses of huge widths. Chemically, gold does not react with any substance except a liquid known as "aqua regia". This liquid is a combination of some acid, which usually are Hydrochloric acid and Sulfuric acid. Gold can also be dissolved in mercury.

 

The extraction of gold is not very costly and is a easy process. Ores containing 0.5 parts per million is considered as economical in extraction. South Africa was a very famous name in 19th century to be considered as the gold extractor and supplier to whole of the world. It produced about 1000 tons in that times but later, it reduced to only 250 tons because of the economical and technical factors, costing more for extraction purposes.

 

Gold is considered so precious and so costly, that it is always recycled and is never 'consumed up'. From the use of a metal to jewelry to medicine to food to electronics and industry, gold is used again and again after recycling.
India is said to be the largest consumer of gold in the world and claimed to be a 25% consumer of total gold production in the world. It is said to buy about 800 tons of gold every year.

 
 
 
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