Today, gold is valued all over the world. There is not a single girl who would not dream of gold jewelry. Precious metal has gained immense popularity for a long time. Even in ancient times, it was used to make jewelry, amulets and dishes. Today, buying a piece of gold is not difficult. Numerous jewelry stores offer a huge range.
A bit of history
Few people know that gold is the first metal that was found by mankind. Since the Neolithic era, the history of the discovery of a chemical element begins. Gold for several millennia BC was widely used in Ancient Egypt, China, Rome, India. The mention of the precious metal can be found in the Odyssey, the Bible and other monuments of ancient literature. Ancient alchemists called gold "the king of metals". And it was designated by the symbol of the sun.
In those places where the first civilizations were born, just the same, they began to mine gold on a large scale. This is the eastern Mediterranean, the Indus Valley, North Africa. Gold prefersloneliness. Most often it is found in its native form. In ancient times, metal was collected by hand. To collect one gram of gold, I had to work for days.
The history of a chemical element is closely connected with various geographical discoveries. Gold could be discovered almost immediately on the new earth.
Gold in nature
The chemical element Gold is widely distributed in nature. On average, the lithosphere contains about 4.3·10-7 %, based on mass. The cost of the metal is high due to the difficulty of its extraction. Gold is also found in igneous rocks. Here it is scattered. Hydrothermal deposits of gold are formed in the earth's crust, which plays a huge role in industry. In its native state, this metal is most often mined in ores. Only in rare cases are minerals formed with bismuth, antimony, selenium, etc.
Chemical element Gold is also contained in the biosphere. Here it migrates in complex with various organic compounds. Metal can often be found in river suspensions. One liter of natural water can contain about 4·10-9 % of the precious metal. In places of gold deposits in groundwater, gold can be contained in much larger quantities. As evidenced by the history of the chemical element, gold could be found even in the form of entire deposits of the precious metal underground.
Today, gold is mined in 40 countries around the world. The main reserves of the precious metal are concentrated in the CIS countries, Canada, South Africa.
Physical properties of the precious metal
Gold is a fairly malleable metal. It is easily mechanically affected. Good quality gold can be drawn into wire or hammered into flat sheets. The metal is resistant to various chemical influences, easily conducts electricity and heat. The density of gold at room temperature is about 19.32 g/cm3.
Chemical element Gold is characterized by a bright yellow color, provided there are no impurities. But pure gold is almost never found in nature. Even in bank ingots, the metal is not presented in an ideally pure form. In nature, it is found with the addition of silver, copper, etc.
Gold is quite easy to polish. Due to its good reflective ability, the metal is highly valued in jewelry. Surprisingly, even the sun's rays can pass through thin sheets of precious metal. At the same time, their temperature will decrease. It is no coincidence that in modern construction the chemical element Gold is used to tint windows.
Chemical properties of gold
As evidenced by the history of the discovery of a chemical element, Gold was known long before the appearance of the periodic table. But in it, metal takes pride of place. In the table, Gold is listed under the atomic number 79 and is denoted by the Latin letters Au. The valence of a precious metal in chemical compounds is most often +1 or +3.
For many centuries, chemists have conducted a huge number of experiments on gold. It was found that oxygen and sulfur, which have an aggressive effect on most metals, have absolutely no effect on gold. The only exception would be its atoms on the surface.
The composition of gold determines its chemical properties. The metal does not react with phosphorus, hydrogen, nitrogen. But with halogens Gold forms compounds when heated. With chlorine and bromine water, a reaction occurs even at room temperature. These reagents are only available from laboratories. But in everyday life, a solution of potassium iodide and iodine can be a danger to metal.
Mineral acids and alkalis in most cases do not affect gold. It is on this property that the method for determining the authenticity of a precious metal is based. Few people know how gold is found among a variety of jewelry. Decoration is poured with nitric acid. Gold exposed to a chemical will not change its appearance. But another metal can react.
How is gold found?
Most often gold is mined from alluvial deposits. In this case, the elutriation method is used. It is based on the density difference between the waste rock and gold. Only real professionals in their field can know how to get high quality gold.
Popular methods are amalgamation and cyanidation. Thus, gold mining began in America and Africa at the end of the nineteenth century. Today, primary depositsare the main sources of obtaining the precious metal. The composition of gold may depend on the rocks that are nearby. And also from the climatic environment.
Initially, the gold rock is crushed and treated with a solution of sodium or potassium cyanide. The material is then purified by electrolysis. A bath with hydrochloric acid solution is prepared in advance. When current passes through the rock, impurities precipitate out as a precipitate. The result is a refined precious metal.
Where is gold used?
Many people are familiar with gold in the form of jewelry. Meanwhile, metal is widely used in various industries. In this case, the composition of gold may be somewhat different. Alloys with other metals are often used. Thus, not only expensive material is saved, but also its strength is increased. The precious metal becomes more resistant to various mechanical damage.
The quality of gold, which is used in industry, is indicated by breakdown. In this way, you can find out how “clean” the material is. Most often, the precious metal is diluted with copper. Silver alloys can be used in electrical engineering. The most expensive are alloys of gold with platinum. Such material is used in the jewelry industry, as well as in the production of chemically resistant equipment. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Gold compounds have also been used in photography. Toning was performed with the help of a chemical element.
Gold as an element of art
Gold has been used in jewelry since ancient times. Today thiskind of industry is one of the most profitable. Many products developed by designers were put on stream. But handmade jewelry remains relevant today. Making such products is a real art that deserves close attention.
Since the discovery of a chemical element, gold has been used by people to make jewelry and various decor. Today, designers who not only develop products, but also perform them on their own, have a good income. Handmade in combination with expensive material gives an excellent result. All jewelry is beautiful and original.
Gold in the economy
In the conditions of commodity production, it is gold that performs the function of the general equivalent. The value of this metal is difficult to overestimate. The material has its own value. In many cases, precious metal can even replace money. And gold is valued due to its properties. It can act as the best monetary commodity. Gold is stored for a long time, is not amenable to chemical attack, is easily divided and processed.
The same ingot can be used in industry, and then, with a little processing, it becomes a material for making jewelry. It can be said that this precious metal is immortal.
Banking
In ancient times, gold was used only for making jewelry. Then it got great.means of saving and accumulating we alth. Those who knew how to get gold did not need to think about tomorrow. After all, the precious metal was quite expensive at all times.
Today, gold is widely used to make coins. But the precious metal does not enter the money circulation. Coins or bars are held in financial institutions as savings. Investing in precious metals is at the peak of popularity today. Thus, you can not only save money, but also increase it.
What does the test mean?
With the development of industry, many companies have learned to make high-quality jewelry, which looks almost the same as real gold. An unscrupulous seller will easily sell a “dummy” to a gullible buyer. Therefore, everyone should know how to choose the right piece of gold.
First of all, the quality of this precious metal is determined by the breakdown. Even if the jewelry goes on sale from abroad, it is stamped with the state stamp. The most common are products of the 585th sample. They contain 58.5% pure gold. Products of 999 samples are not found in mass sale. But on the bars that fill the state gold fund, there is a 990 test.
What does the color say?
Gold products of the same sample may differ in color. The appearance of the finished item depends on the impurities. Platinum and nickel give the alloy a light hue. Copper and cob alt allow you to get jewelrydark colored items.
Rose gold is very popular today. Such an alloy is obtained by adding silver and copper. But exclusive black gold is created using cob alt and chromium. In many cases, consumers overpay for fashion trends. In this case, the gold content in the product can be minimal. In just a few years, the jewelry may depreciate. Therefore, preference should still be given to the classic yellow metal.
How to confirm the quality of the jewelry?
Many may want to find out the true value of a piece of jewelry. You can turn to a private expert, but in this case the result will not be documented. The exact percentage of gold and impurities in a piece of jewelry can be determined by the State Inspectorate for Assay Supervision. After the procedure, the consumer is issued a certificate confirming the quality. The product itself does not deteriorate during the examination.
Where to buy gold?
It all depends on the final goals. If you need to buy a piece of jewelry as a gift, you can contact any specialized store. Much cheaper quality gold jewelry can be purchased online. Preference should be given to traditional yellow gold. It contains the precious metal in its pure form in the greatest amount. Such a product can last a long time and even be inherited.
Bank gold bars are suitable for investment. Each financial institution offers its own conditionsacquisition of gold. But the most profitable investments do not necessarily guarantee reliability. Preference should be given to banks that have been operating for more than 10 years and receive positive feedback from existing customers.
