Why gold is valued: properties and features of the precious metal

Have you ever wondered why gold is more valuable than any other metal in the world? All kinds of jewelry and industries, glass production, aviation and space industries simply could not exist without it.

But why is gold so valuable in the world? To understand this, you need to know all its physical and chemical properties as a metal and, therefore, what determines its wide distribution in the world.

Gold and the ancient world

About 6,000 years ago, people began to meaningfully mine gold in Egypt. The oldest deposit of this precious metal, Nubia, hid about 6,000 tons. The first gold was mined by washing sands through cloth. Then they began to use more labor-intensive methods: separating the ore from the entire rock and grinding it.

Gold was used as a trade currency, a metal for making jewelry, dishes, weapons and armor for warriors. Since the ancient times of the emergence of mankind, this metal has been very common throughout the world.

Chemical and physical properties

1. Gold is a low-melting metal and therefore the most malleable. Melting point - 1064°C. Without heating, it can be forged into a layer about 0.1 microns thick. The most interesting thing is that in any form the metal retains its inherent properties. It will not be difficult for an experienced blacksmith to forge any, even the most elegant, figurine from this metal. Thanks to this plasticity, gold is used to cover temple domes and even create ultra-thin wires for microcircuits.

   

2. From a physics point of view, metal is good because it has low resistance and, at the same time, good thermal conductivity; it is also resistant to all kinds of oxidative processes (corrosion, etc.). Why gold is valued in science is because it has the ability to reflect infrared rays and, in particular, light. This determines the use of gold in the glazing of aircraft and all kinds of aircraft models, astronaut helmets and sea vessels.
3. Why is gold valued by jewelers? This metal lends itself well to all kinds of processing (soldering, polishing, etc.), and also easily forms alloys with any elements. These properties have become a powerful argument for taking the position of primacy of the main precious metal and raw material in the jewelry industry.
4. As a chemical substance, gold is an inert metal, meaning it does not react with natural substances. The only exception is mirror amalgam (gold and mercury). As a result, its dissolution in acids, alkalis, and, in principle, under normal conditions is excluded. Unless in “aqua regia” (a solution that is a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids) of a concentrated form and under some other special conditions.
5. Gold is a weak metal, which means another advantage is that it can be easily reduced to pure metal from any compound. For example, for amalgam, only 800°C is sufficient.

What is the value of gold?

Gold has always been considered the most valuable metal. Thanks to this precious natural material, it was possible to create beautiful jewelry and money. Until now, one of the safest and most reliable ways to save your savings is to buy gold. After all, only in this form will financial assets not lose their value due to constant changes in exchange rates.

None of the metals existing in the world, even despite their rarity or value, can compare with gold. It combines the best properties of metals that have ever existed on Earth. People still find gold nuggets all over the world. But there are fewer and fewer large deposits every year. Man does not stop producing metal, even though the volume of its natural reserves is declining.

Which currency is the most valuable?

Modern banking systems allow you to create:

• special investment funds,
• accounts in which gold reserves are “stored”,
• gold mining companies and much more.

Among all the metals existing in the world, only gold is not capable of losing its value. It is this natural resource that allows you to preserve already accumulated financial resources. Investments in gold are very promising and quite in demand. Gold often functions as a special currency. You won’t be able to pay with it in the store, but if the need arises, gold accounts can be transferred to any of the currencies existing in the world.

It’s just very convenient to store all your savings in gold. For example, if you choose another currency for this purpose, then its value and exchange rate depend on the economic situation in the country and in the world. It is difficult to predict exactly how the situation will change in an hour or the next day.

Banks offer a way out, which is to create special accounts. They are represented in virtual equivalents of gold reserves, while all the metal is stored in a bank or a specially designated institution. In safes, even without additional air access, gold does not deteriorate. Therefore, it is easy to transport and store for later use.

It has long been known that most currencies in the world are not stable and can lose value and importance over time. Only gold always maintains its position in world markets. This value is unchanged and will exist even after several decades. Its characteristics and properties do not change over time, but remain constant. Even the volume of gold retains its original indicators.

Some metals oxidize or need to be refined or melted down over time. Gold has remained in the same state ever since people realized its value and began using it as a material and decoration. You can always sell it if you get tired of the accessory or melt it into another item. A person is able to find a wide variety of uses for gold and its value will not decrease from this.

Why does this unique metal still not lose its relevance and value? The answer lies in the properties of this chemical element. After all, gold is not subject to various influences from natural elements. Even in water it does not oxidize or change shape. Only under the influence of high temperatures can gold be melted down into the desired shape.

Coins were minted from gold, which were highly valued at all times. No rust appeared on them. And if for some reason people did not need such currency, then the coins could easily be melted down into anything.

Thus, beautiful works of art made from this durable metal with amazing properties have come down to us. Even books framed with gold covers survived much longer than ordinary manuscripts. Therefore, gold was used to store valuable information and create various things, the shelf life of which was unlimited.

General structure of gold consumption in the world in 1970 - 2012, tons

Why do you need gold?

Metal is valuable not only as a monetary equivalent. It was used:

• as a material for creating dishes for pharaohs and nobles,
• as a basis for jewelry and a frame in which precious stones were placed,
• for the manufacture of statues and other architectural structures.

Gold is an eternal value, so it is relevant at any time. However, metal, for all its positive properties, cannot always be used. After all, most of the gold that is mined from various sources is immediately melted down into bars. In this state, the metal is transported to storage.

People appreciated this mineral because gold can be very beneficially used in various spheres of human life. Also, metal, despite its demand and popularity, is very rare. You need to pay a lot of money to get gold in its pure form without all sorts of impurities and additives.

Due to the rarity of this precious chemical element, it is usually diluted with alloys of other metals. This technology is especially widely used in the manufacture of jewelry. There is no need to use only gold. Therefore, its properties may change due to mixing with other metals and materials.

There are several varieties of gold. It differs from each other due to the location of the sources from which it was previously extracted. Surprisingly, even the color of the precious metal is different. It is distinguished by shades of yellow, and sometimes even closer to lighter tones of this vibrant color.

The appearance of the metal, even without treatment, attracts everyone's attention. A gold nugget is easy to identify among other similar metals and stones. In addition to its color, gold has a special, bright shine that shimmers in the sun’s rays. Even metal that has been lying underground for a long time or has become dusty will still shine if the layer of dirt and dust that has accumulated on it is removed.

Any other metal becomes dull from prolonged interaction with dirt or water. Such minerals require additional processing, and their service life is limited. There will be no such problems with gold. No matter where the metal is stored, rust will not form on its surface.

Among the chemical elements, gold is the heaviest chemical element. Gold is easy to shape and does not require special technologies for its processing. The metal is not subject to oxidation and will not darken in air. This property significantly increases the value of gold. Only some acids can attack metal. For such chemical reactions to occur, special conditions are required.

In medicine, gold is simply an irreplaceable metal. It is needed for dental prosthetics and the creation of a large number of all kinds of medical equipment.

For various types of industry, metal is needed as a universal material. It is used to make parts that will not need to be replaced too often later. For example, some electrical conductive devices and special instruments are made of gold. The price for them differs from that which is installed on conventional equipment. However, devices made using gold are especially durable and last much longer.

You can't take your eyes off jewelry made from this material. Gold jewelry fascinates with its beauty and does not fade over time. It is in order to create unique jewelry that most of everything found in metal deposits is mined.

Where is gold mined?

It is very rare in the world to find large deposits of gold nuggets that are concentrated in one specific area. They are dispersed mainly in places that are difficult for humans to reach.

The high cost of gold justifies all the costs of its extraction. Approximately half of all existing world reserves are mined in South Africa. Large deposits of gold were discovered here back in the 18th century. Its mining is still ongoing, so the volumes of nuggets available for subsequent mining in these sources are difficult to imagine.

But, despite such wealth, most of the precious metals end up in banks and in accounts specially created for storing gold. Therefore, the volumes available for subsequent gold mining and transportation around the world are constantly decreasing.

To save the metal from disappearing, you will need:

• protection of the territories where the deposits are located from unauthorized mining,
• creation of special conditions for gold mining, without harming the climate zone,
• support from the state and a ban on unapproved development of gold reserves.

The durability of gold is the main advantage that only this metal has. Even silver or platinum lose some of their properties over time and need additional processing or re-melting.

Only a few grams of gold can be in demand among buyers in any country in the world. Gold can be transported using any type of transport. At the same time, there is no particular need to create any special conditions for its transportation. This chemical element has a fairly strong structure that does not allow the metal to collapse upon contact with other chemicals.

The weight of gold will not change even if you divide it into a large number of equal parts. The structure of the metal will remain unchanged even after decades.

Not every person can explain what the essence of gold is? But at the same time, we all know its value. The answer to the question lies in the rarity of the metal. Perhaps this characteristic is fundamental. It is the small amount of gold dispersed throughout the planet that ultimately increases its overall value.

We are used to having gold jewelry and some items made from this material. But this is not pure gold, but only a mixture of several metals, correctly selected and not reacting with each other.

Only 32 thousand tons of gold are present in the world in its pure form. The remaining reserves have already been melted down and used to create equipment and decorations, as well as other items. In all these products, gold is, of course, the main metal, but, as various chemical reactions and studies show, it is not the only one.

People are constantly changing their gold reserves, restoring broken earrings or selling some gold items to create more necessary items. The process of melting metal is almost endless.

As a result, we get a universal material that does not cause any allergic reactions in humans and can be used in all existing types of industry. Recycling is necessary for gold that has already been used. It allows you to update the properties present in it, give it a new shape and volume. It all depends on the type of gold. There are metals that are so amazing in their beauty that there is nothing else left to do but to make a piece of jewelry out of such a nugget.

There is no need to make houses or ships out of gold. The metal is quite heavy and cannot be used for the above purposes. It is a kind of universal decoration. Such material only enhances any product on which it is present.

At the moment, all kinds of research are already being carried out around the world to reveal the still unknown possibilities of this amazing material. Soon, it is possible that even cars will run on engines whose main element will be gold. It all depends on whether a person will be able to preserve gold deposits and subsequently learn how to create this metal himself, using special chemical formulas for this.

Gold in medicine

All the properties described above clearly show the value of gold. Since ancient times, people have even associated healing properties with this metal. It was believed that it could cure any human ailment: relieve pain, cure allergies, improve memory, increase endurance and simply eliminate the effects of stress. Moreover, there was no need to carry out any special procedures; it was enough to just wear gold jewelry. Some healers believed that this metal could even prolong life.

Why is gold valued today? Followers of alternative medicine also believe that it will help those who have problems with the liver, heart, skin, reproductive system, as well as in the prevention of influenza and other seasonal diseases, because this precious metal kills viruses and pathogens.

Also in cosmetology, products containing a certain proportion of colloidal gold have advantages.

What determines the color of a gold item?

Jewelers call the substance in its pure form red gold. Because it is soft and susceptible to deformation, it is not used for smelting jewelry. But in order to improve the quality of the product, give it a special color and shine, pure gold is used in alloys. To obtain a yellow tint, it is mixed with silver and copper, red - with a large amount of copper, white - with palladium, platinum and nickel (this alloy is considered the most noble, but nickel is rarely used, as it can cause an allergic reaction). To add a white shine, a thin layer of rhodium can be applied to the jewelry to increase the strength of the product and its anti-corrosion properties.

Permanent

Time passed, new sciences and scientists appeared. New chemical elements were discovered and old ones were mixed. New metals and alloys were created from them. The more we experimented, the more we discovered new properties of our old friend.

The main advantage of the metal we chose was inertness. Gold did not react with most other chemical elements. This meant that it perfectly retained its properties throughout the entire period of service to its owner. Didn't change color or shape.

What can you say about a person? We came up with the idea of ​​building empires from small communes. To unite a large number of people, generally accepted values ​​are needed. There is a need to create money.

What color of decoration should you choose?

Rose and yellow gold were considered low-grade and practically unsuitable for jewelry set with precious stones. But during the Soviet era, rose gold was very common; its popularity is explained by the fact that it looks beautiful and has a relatively low cost.

The most luxurious and expensive metal of the upper class of society is white gold. It has excellent quality characteristics and, due to the high content of silver and palladium, a fairly high price.

Speaking from a fashion perspective, both white and yellow gold are equally in trend now, since the design of the product plays a significant role, and not the color or weight of the metal.

Gold classification (fineness concept)

The cost of the product does not depend on the color, but is determined by the fineness, that is, the amount of gold contained in the alloy.

Since jewelry is not made of pure gold, but of alloys with various metals, you need to ensure that jewelry does not interact with substances that contain iodine, mercury and chlorine.

The more craftsmen worked with this metal, the more varieties it appeared. How do you know which gold is more valuable?

For this purpose, all jewelry has a hallmark, for example, if it says 500 hallmark, it means that the product contains 50% pure gold. Accordingly, the higher the sample, the higher the cost.

A fair question arises: which standard of gold is valued higher? 999 is the highest mark of metal quality. But jewelers don't use it. It has found its application exclusively in coating all kinds of silver and other surfaces of products, protecting them from corrosion (tinsel). 585 and 750 samples are especially in demand among jewelers.

Comparison of 585 and 750

In Russia, these samples are most common, because they have an affordable price-quality ratio, which is why they are popular among a large number of the population of the post-Soviet space.

If we talk about 585 sample, it should be noted that it is very practical for daily use, even if you work in production.

But many are inclined to believe that since 750 gold has a higher gold content, it is definitely better. This is wrong. The more pure gold there is in a product, the softer it is, not as wear-resistant, and it can be accidentally damaged. Typically, it is more appropriate to purchase products of such a high standard for celebrations or other special occasions in your life.

Gold, psychology and society

If the modern fiat economy collapses, gold may not have an immediate use - as panic sets in and people scramble for their basic needs - but it will eventually.

Humans are beasts of burden . We prefer the company of other people (to varying degrees) to complete independence. Working in groups is easier than trying to live on earth alone. This human trait leads us to find ways to work together, which in turn leads us to find ways to exchange goods and services easily and efficiently.

Gold provides the comfort of stability . Gold is the logical choice for this exchange. If disaster strikes, when paper money and the system that supports it no longer exist, we will return to gold. It can be argued that gold is one of the few substances on earth that has all the qualities to work, including environmental friendliness.

How a golden brooch can turn into a wag steak . A piece of gold may have no immediate physical value to the person holding it; they cannot, for example, eat or drink. But if society agrees to turn gold into coins in a system of exchange for goods, then that coin will instantly gain value. What was originally inedible could become, for example, a Wagyu steak dinner.

Short review

Because others believe gold has value, so do you; and because they think you value gold, others value it too.

How to buy a quality product

When the question is already closed: “Why is gold valued?”, we can talk about what you should pay attention to when buying products made from this noble metal.

First, find out the sample of the product and compare it with the sample on the tag. The jewelry must have a special stamp from the manufacturer - a kind of guarantor of quality and authenticity. Also, don’t forget to check the tag. It contains all the necessary information about the product, manufacturer, composition, weight, and so on.

Pay attention to the appearance of the product. Make sure that all fastenings and soldering points are of good quality. Also, there are no unevenness or pronounced defects in the jewelry.

Available

Then, several thousand years ago, when people had not yet thought about the complex processes of extracting metals from rocks, gold was already lying under our feet. To extract it, it was not necessary to dig a quarry or a tunnel in the rock. Gold, like silver and bronze, was found in nuggets in open environments and was an easily accessible production material.

We began to actively work with this precious metal and over thousands of years of acquaintance with it, we learned to use it in different areas of our lives. But to get to this point, it was initially quite accessible to people. This is the second reason that answers the question why gold is expensive.