The Versatility and Value of Gold
Abstract
Gold has a unique history and is often found in very different and distant locations. The material found in the Earth has many different uses and has had many different uses in the past. The versatility and value of this material have everything to do with its special properties which make it like no other material. Not only are the uses of this material so diverse and valuable, it’s been an important part of shaping many societies and the world economy over thousands of years.
As the saying goes, “gold is where you find it” and people all over the world have found and given different values to gold. Gold is a material that has been used for thousands of years, by all sorts of people, for many different things. It can be found in many different places all over the world and is a rare and valuable material. Over time the use of this material has changed drastically and has been given different meanings and values. The properties of gold have a lot to do with why it’s used the way it is and the impacts that it has had on society for thousands of years.
Gold is believed to be the first metal known to the human species. It was found in rivers and streams around different times for different groups, but it is thought to be first discovered as far back as 40,000 BC, but more importantly, it was first smelted down by Egyptian goldsmiths are 3600 BC. Right from the beginning, gold was valuable. Around 2600 BC, the ancient Mesopotamians began making jewelry out of gold. This was the beginning of the aesthetic use of gold in the world. Often the wealthy would have many possessions made of gold during this time, including King Tut’s tomb which was famously built mainly of gold. Finally, in 700 BC gold became a standard for currency as many people began to construct coins of gold and silver, effectively ending the barter system. Not long after, the techniques of refining gold were greatly improved, and the first international gold currency was established. As for more recently, the bimetallic, gold, and silver, currency standard was introduced in the United States in 1792. At this time gold held a standard value of $19.30 an ounce. Since then the value of the ounce of gold has changed dramatically reaching about $1340 today, increasing rapidly in recent history. In 1848, gold was discovered by John Marshall while building a lumber mill. Word got out, and the California gold rush ensued bringing approximately 300,000 people to California. These people were coined the nickname, “Forty-Niners”, after the year they all moved to the state. Gold has a very prominent history and surely shaped many groups of people into how they’re known today.
Gold is naturally found in the Earth. It can be found in many different places all around the world, in some places, it’s even common to find gold. Often large amounts can be found in areas where it is discovered. Of the gold found in nature though, there are two categories. The first is primary gold. Primary gold is the gold that is found in larger rock formations, causing mines to be built in these areas if there is believed to be a large amount. It’s common to find other valuable minerals around gold, such as quartz and silver. The other kind of gold that is found in nature is called secondary gold. This is the gold that is found in rivers and streams because they have run through the rock formations containing primary gold. Gold is gathered through panning these waterways, usually obtaining smaller flakes or nuggets. Larger nuggets can be found in these waterways as well, though it is very uncommon because of the erosion caused by being carried down a stream or river. The largest source of gold in the world is in the Witwatersrand basin, located in South Africa. Although this area has been mined frequently and heavily, it’s believed that it still holds a large amount of gold. Other places that have been gold “hotspots” include the Carlin Trend in Nevada, Irian Jaya in Indonesia, and The Super Pit in Western Australia. Obviously, there is no one place gold is found but can be found in abundance in many different areas.
Although gold cannot be made by humans, the natural form of gold is not the gold that we see used. Gold must be recovered from the ores it is mined from. The most popular process for recovering this gold is called cyanidation. Cyanidation is done by oxidizing and dissolving gold in an alkaline cyanide solution. When the gold is dissolved, the solution containing the gold is removed from any solids that were not dissolved in the solution. Gold must also go through refining processes such as cupellation, inquartation, and parting, the Miller Process, or the Wohlwill Process. The most popular of these methods is the Wohlwill Process and the Miller Process. Each of these processes has upsides and downsides. Some processes remove different materials from the natural gold found in the earth. Some of the refining processes remove base metals, silver, or PGMs and others are for small-scale or large-scale refineries. Few processes can remove all base metals, silver, and PGMs while others are only able to remove certain materials from the natural gold. The finished product is referred to as doré. Although gold is naturally found it’s far from the gold commonly used today.
The use of gold has changed a lot throughout the years, but some things never change. Originally, gold was used to make jewelry and make extravagant and luxurious things for the wealthy. This has not changed at all as many people still wear gold jewelry and have luxurious items made of gold. Gold has also been used to make coins and has been used as a form of currency for a very long time. Although in most countries gold is not used for coinage anymore, many countries still use a gold standard to back their currency. More modern use for gold is for dental fillings. Gold is used to cap teeth as it wears similarly to the enamel of teeth and fits them very accurately. Another modern use for gold is in electronics and computers. This is because gold is a high-efficiency conductor and does not corrode. This makes electronics made of gold much more reliable than electronics made with different conductors. Finally, gold is used in aerospace technology. It’s used to lubricate mechanical parts and coats the inside of rockets and other vehicles as a protection against radiation and heat in space. Gold is a very versatile material with uses for aesthetics and proper function.
The properties of gold are unique and play a major role in the uses of the material. Gold has a bright yellow color and a luster making it appealing to humans. This is a major reason that gold is used for jewelry and other aesthetics. Gold is also very ductile and malleable meaning it can be made into thin sheets and can easily be molded or bent. This is also important for building items made of gold and is another reason why it’s used for dental fillings. The material is a good conductor making it perfect for electronics and computers. The hardness of gold is very low which is why it is often mixed with other materials to increase the hardness. Finally, gold is soluble in liquid which makes it easy to remove it from ores through cyanidation. These properties are the reason gold is so commonly used and for such a variety of things.
The hardness of gold causes many different gold alloys to be produced. The more common metals alloyed with gold are zinc, copper, nickel, iron, aluminum, silver, and platinum. These materials are significantly harder and allow gold to be worn and used without it being misshapen and ruined. When these metals are alloyed with gold, it’s not always the same mix of gold and the other material. The measure of purity is defined as a karat. 24 karats is considered to be pure gold and decreasing numbers have less gold and more of the secondary material. This means that an 18-karat gold alloy would be 75% gold and a 12-karat gold alloy would be 50% gold. The most popular of these for jewelry is 14-karat gold as it is about 58% pure gold but can hold up well being far harder than pure gold. Gold alloys are very common and are the reason it’s able to be so commonly used.
The impact gold has had on society has been astronomical ever since it was first discovered. It has taken over currencies like no other material has. It’s the main standard for worldwide currency. Gold has also become a symbol of wealth and has been for a very long time. Gold is worn as jewelry to project success and used as a building material for luxury and aesthetics. When gold was found in California, it caused 300,000 people to uproot their lives in search for rare and beautiful material. Not only has gold been an important material throughout history for building, economics or aesthetics, it has become far more. Gold is the symbol of wealth and power and demonstrates these like no other material ever has.
Gold is an invaluable material as explained by the quote “gold is where you find it.” It is not just another building material or a different piece of currency, but the feeling of wealth and luxury when one is in possession of it. Gold is found all over the world and is used for many different things. It cannot be made by humans but is often changed for different purposes. Gold has shaped the economy and societies of the world since the day it was discovered.
Works Cited
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- Sepanek, E. (2016, July 27). Top 6 Common Uses For Gold. Retrieved April 12, 2020, from https://www.sbcgold.com/blog/top-6-common-uses-for-gold/
