What gold use for
What gold use for
What is Gold Used For?
Gold bars on a dark background.
Gold is a bright, soft, ductile, dense, malleable, and faintly reddish-yellow metal. It is usually solid under normal conditions. Gold is more useful than all the other naturally occurring minerals. Its usefulness is derived from its numerous unique properties. Gold conducts electricity, can be converted into sheets or wires, alloys well with other metals, and doesn’t tarnish. Gold can also be easily melted and cast into numerous detailed shapes.
The Uses of Gold
Jewelry
Gold has been used to make jewelry and decorative objects for centuries. All the gold-nuggets collected along the streams were very easy to use, and they were probably the first metals used by human beings. Currently, a huge percentage of recycled or mined gold is used to make jewelry. Over 78% of the gold used annually is used to make jewelry. Some of the special properties of gold that makes it perfect for making jewelry include its popular color, high luster, ability to be cast into any shape, and tarnish resistance among others. Gold is soft; therefore, it’s alloyed with other metals. Alloying this metal changes its color. An alloy of copper (9%), silver (16%), and gold (75%) is yellow gold. White gold contains palladium (17%), copper (4%), silver (4%), and gold (75%). Pure gold is always marked «24K» while an alloy containing 75% gold is marked «18K», and 50% gold is «12K».
Financial Gold
Due to its limited supply and high value, gold has been used as medium-of-exchange for a very long time. Transactions were done using silver and gold pieces during the ancient times. The first known usage of gold as a medium of exchange dates back to over 6,000 years ago. Some of the early printed paper money, including the dollar, was backed by gold.
Medical Uses of Gold
Gold is used to treat some medical conditions like cancer. Some radioactive gold isotopes are usually implanted in tissues to help treat certain types of cancer. Gold is also used to treat lagophthalmos (inability for an individual to close his/her eyes completely). Lagophthalmos is healed by injecting a small amount of gold in the upper eyelids. The gold increases the weight of the eyelid and gravity forces the eye to close fully. A weak solution of aurothioglucose or sodium aurothiomalate is used to heal rheumatoid arthritis. A colloidal solution of gold can be injected as a beta-emitter that is tracked as it passed through the body.
Other Uses of Gold
Gold alloys are used to make various dentistry appliances like orthodontic appliances, bridges, crowns, and fillings because it’s chemically inert, easy to work and non-allergic. The edge-connectors used when mounting memory-chips and microprocessors on a computer motherboard have some gold. It is also used when manufacturing specialty-glasses for climate-controlled casings and buildings. Gold sheets also referred to as gold leaf are applied on the uneven surfaces of frames, furniture, and even buildings.
What is gold used for?
Apart from jewellery and a store of wealth, gold is used for a wide variety of medical and industrial processes.
The precious metal known as gold has seen many uses over the centuries. While the most common usages have traditionally been the creation of coins, bullion and jewellery, gold has also seen a variety of less typical uses.
In some far eastern cultures, gold leaf, flakes and dust are eaten for supposed health benefits and as a show of wealth. It is to be noted that ingesting elemental gold in this manner has not been proven to offer any significant impact on ones health but large dosages can become toxic.
Gold is also used for modern medicine in it’s salt or radioisotope forms. These forms of gold can be used by the body when taken orally or via injection as a medical treatment to alleviate severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis and other conditions. The gold isotope, gold-198, is also used for the treatment of cancer.
Gold is often combined with other metals for use in modern dentistry. The gold used for dental work, including fillings and crowns, is predominantly white gold or gold alloys. When white gold is used, the purity of the gold is usually 15 carat or higher.
Due to its special conductive properties, gold has become a popular choice in the fields of industry and electronics. Almost all high tech appliances, from computers to mobile phones, have some gold content. In addition, the fact that electromagnetic radiation is reflected by gold has made it a popular choice in protecting expensive equipment or personnel that may be exposed to infrared light or other high level electromagnetic radiation sources.
The Many Uses of Gold
Article by: Hobart M. King, PhD, RPG
Gold Jewelry: The most important consumptive use of gold in the United States is jewelry manufacturing. Image copyright iStockphoto / Angelo Marcantonio.
The Most Useful Metal
Of all the minerals mined from the Earth, none is more useful than gold. Its usefulness is derived from a diversity of special properties. Gold conducts electricity, does not tarnish, is very easy to work, can be drawn into wire, can be hammered into thin sheets, alloys with many other metals, can be melted and cast into highly detailed shapes, has a wonderful color and a brilliant luster. Gold is a memorable metal that occupies a special place in the human mind.
Uses of Gold in the United States: This pie chart shows how gold was used in the United States in 2019, not including gold bullion. The main uses were in jewelry (50%) and electronics (37%). The minting of official coins accounted for 8% of the gold used, and 5% was for other uses. Data from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries for 2019.
Table of Contents
 The Most Useful Metal A Bit of Gold History Jewelry: The Primary Use of Gold Gold As: Coinage, Bullion, Backing Uses of Gold in Electronics Uses of Gold in Computers Uses of Gold in Dentistry Medical Uses of Gold Uses of Gold in Aerospace Gold in Awards & Status Symbols Uses of Gold in Glassmaking Gold Gilding and Gold Leaf Future Uses of Gold Substitutes for Gold |
Gold nuggets: Gold nuggets found in a stream can easily be hammered into shapes, combined, and worked with primitive tools into ornamental objects.
A Bit of Gold History
Throughout the history of our planet, almost every established culture has used gold to symbolize power, beauty, purity, and accomplishment. Today we continue to use gold for our most significant objects: wedding rings, Olympic medals, Oscars, Grammys, money, crucifixes and ecclesiastical art. No other substance of the same rarity holds a more visible and prominent place in our society.
Gold ring: Gold ring with colored stone. Image copyright iStockphoto.com / Krzysztof Gorski.
Gold rings: Gold rings of different color. Image copyright iStockphoto.com / Martin McCarthy.
Colors of gold-silver-copper alloys: Different metal colors that can be produced by alloying different amounts of gold, silver, and copper. Image by Metallos, used here under a GNU Free Documentation License.
Jewelry: The Primary Use of Gold
Gold has been used to make ornamental objects and jewelry for thousands of years. Gold nuggets found in a stream are very easy to work and were probably one of the first metals used by humans. Today, most of the gold that is newly mined or recycled is used in the manufacture of jewelry. About 78% of the gold consumed each year is used in the manufacture of jewelry.
Special properties of gold make it perfect for manufacturing jewelry. These include: very high luster; desirable yellow color; tarnish resistance; ability to be drawn into wires, hammered into sheets, or cast into shapes. These are all properties of an attractive metal that is easily worked into beautiful objects. Another extremely important factor that demands the use of gold as a jewelry metal is tradition. Important objects are expected to be made from gold.
Pure gold is too soft to stand up to the stresses applied to many jewelry items. Craftsmen learned that alloying gold with other metals such as copper, silver, and platinum would increase its durability. Since then most gold used to make jewelry is an alloy of gold with one or more other metals.
Alloying gold with other metals changes the color of the finished products (see illustration). An alloy of 75% gold, 16% silver and 9% copper yields yellow gold. White gold is an alloy of 75% gold, 4% silver, 4% copper and 17% palladium. Other alloys yield pink, green, peach and even black-colored metals.
Gold bullion: Fine gold metal is usually cast into small bars for easy handling, exchange, and storage. USDOJ Image.
Gold coins: United States Gold Coins. Image copyright iStockphoto / Donald Swartz.
Gold As: Coinage, Bullion, Backing
Because gold is highly valued and in very limited supply, it has long been used as a medium of exchange or money. The first known use of gold in transactions dates back over 6000 years. Early transactions were done using pieces of gold or pieces of silver. The rarity, usefulness, and desirability of gold make it a substance of long-term value. Gold works well for this purpose because it has a high value, and it is durable, portable, and easily divisible.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Some early printings of paper money were backed by gold held in safekeeping for every unit of money that was placed in circulation. The United States once used a «gold standard» and maintained a stockpile of gold to back every paper dollar in circulation.
Under this gold standard, any person could present paper currency to the government and demand in exchange an equal value of gold. The gold standard was once used by many nations, but it eventually became too cumbersome and is no longer used by any nation.
The gold used as a financial backing for currency was most often held in the form of gold bars, also known as «gold bullion.» The use of gold bars kept manufacturing costs to a minimum and allowed convenient handling and storage. Today many governments, individuals, and institutions hold investments of gold in the convenient form of bullion.
Video: BBC’s Frank Gardner visits the Bank of England to get a rare look inside their gold vaults. The vaults contain a huge trove of over 400,000 gold bars, worth approximately 252.4 billion dollars.
The first gold coins were minted under the order of King Croesus of Lydia (a region of present-day Turkey) in about 560 BC. Gold coins were commonly used in transactions up through the early 1900s, when paper currency became a more common form of exchange. Gold coins were issued in two types of units. Some were denominated in units of currency, such as dollars, while others were issued in standard weights, such as ounces or grams.
Today gold coins are no longer in wide use for financial transactions. However, gold coins issued in specific weights are popular ways for people to purchase and own small amounts of gold for investment. Gold coins are also issued as «commemorative» items. Many people enjoy these commemorative coins because they have both a collectible value and a precious metal value.
Gold use in electronics: Gold parts are used in cell phones and many other electronics. Image copyright iStockphoto / Matjaz Boncina.
The best way to learn about minerals is to study with a collection of small specimens that you can handle, examine, and observe their properties. Inexpensive mineral collections are available in the Geology.com Store. Image copyright iStockphoto / Anna Usova.
Uses of Gold in Electronics
The most important industrial use of gold is in the manufacture of electronics. Solid state electronic devices use very low voltages and currents which are easily interrupted by corrosion or tarnish at the contact points. Gold is the highly efficient conductor that can carry these tiny currents and remain free of corrosion. Electronic components made with gold are highly reliable. Gold is used in connectors, switch and relay contacts, soldered joints, connecting wires and connection strips.
A small amount of gold is used in almost every sophisticated electronic device. This includes cell phones, calculators, personal digital assistants, global positioning system (GPS) units, and other small electronic devices. Most large electronic appliances such as television sets also contain gold.
One challenge with the use of gold in very small quantities in very small devices is loss of the metal from society. Nearly one billion cell phones are produced each year, and most of them contain about fifty cents worth of gold. Their average lifetime is under two years, and very few are currently recycled. Although the amount of gold is small in each device, their enormous numbers translate into a lot of unrecycled gold.
Gold computer connections: Gold in a computer memory chip. Image copyright iStockphoto / Teresa Azevedo.
Uses of Gold in Computers
Gold is used in many places in the standard desktop or laptop computer. The rapid and accurate transmission of digital information through the computer and from one component to another requires an efficient and reliable conductor. Gold meets these requirements better than any other metal. The importance of high quality and reliable performance justifies the high cost.
Edge connectors used to mount microprocessor and memory chips onto the motherboard and the plug-and-socket connectors used to attach cables all contain gold. The gold in these components is generally electroplated onto other metals and alloyed with small amounts of nickel or cobalt to increase durability.
Dental gold: A crown made from dental gold alloy. Image copyright iStockphoto / choicegraphx.
Uses of Gold in Dentistry
How would iron work as a dental filling? Not very well. your dentist would need blacksmithing tools, your smile would be rusty a few days after a filling, and you would need to get used to the taste of iron. Even at much higher expense, gold is used in dentistry because of its superior performance and aesthetic appeal. Gold alloys are used for fillings, crowns, bridges, and orthodontic appliances. Gold is used in dentistry because it is chemically inert, nonallergenic, and easy for the dentist to work.
Gold is known to have been used in dentistry as early as 700 B.C. Etruscan «dentists» used gold wire to fasten replacement teeth into the mouths of their patients. Gold was probably used to fill cavities in ancient times; however, there is no documentation or archaeological evidence for this use of gold until a little over 1000 years ago.
Gold was much more generously used in dentistry up until the late 1970s. The sharp run-up of gold prices at that time motivated the development of substitute materials. However, the amount of gold used in dentistry is starting to rise again. Some motivation for this comes from concerns that less inert metals might have an adverse effect on long-term health.
Medical uses of gold: Gold is used in some surgical instruments. Image copyright iStockphoto / atbaei.
Medical Uses of Gold
Gold is used as a drug to treat a small number of medical conditions. Injections of weak solutions of sodium aurothiomalate or aurothioglucose are sometimes used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Particles of a radioactive gold isotope are implanted in tissues to serve as a radiation source in the treatment of certain cancers.
Small amounts of gold are used to remedy a condition known as lagophthalmos, which is an inability of a person to close their eyes completely. This condition is treated by implanting small amounts of gold in the upper eyelid. The implanted gold «weights» the eyelid, and the force of gravity helps the eyelid close fully.
Radioactive gold is used in diagnosis. It is injected in a colloidal solution that can be tracked as a beta emitter as it passes through the body. Many surgical instruments, electronic equipment, and life-support devices are made using small amounts of gold. Gold is nonreactive in the instruments and is highly reliable in the electronic equipment and life-support devices.
Gold use in aerospace: Gold is used in satellite components. Image copyright iStockphoto / pete stopher.
Gold-coated telescope mirror: Photo of one of the James Webb Space Telescope’s primary mirror segments being coated with gold by Quantum Coating Incorporated. Photo by Drew Noel, NASA.
Uses of Gold in Aerospace
If you are going to spend billions of dollars on a vehicle that when launched will travel on a voyage where the possibility of lubrication, maintenance and repair is absolutely zero, then building it with extremely dependable materials is essential. This is exactly why gold is used in hundreds of ways in every space vehicle that NASA launches.
Gold is used in circuitry because it is a dependable conductor and connector. In addition, many parts of every space vehicle are fitted with gold-coated polyester film. This film reflects infrared radiation and helps stabilize the temperature of the spacecraft. Without this coating, dark colored parts of the spacecraft would absorb significant amounts of heat.
Gold use in awards: Gold Medal. Image copyright iStockphoto / Olivier Blondeaui.
Gold in Awards & Status Symbols
Gold is associated with many positive qualities. Purity is another quality associated with gold. For this reason, gold is the metal of choice for religious objects. Crosses, communion ware, and other religious symbols are made with gold for this reason.
Gold is also used as the first place winner’s medal or trophy in almost any type of contest. First-place winners at the Olympic Games are given gold medals. The Academy Awards Oscars are gold awards. Music’s Grammy Awards are made of gold. All of these important achievements are honored with awards made of gold.
Gold used in glass: Gold is used in specialty building glass. Image copyright iStockphoto / Cezar Serbanescu.
Uses of Gold in Glassmaking
Gold has many uses in the production of glass. The most basic use in glassmaking is that of a pigment. A small amount of gold, if suspended in the glass when it is annealed, will produce a rich ruby color.
Gold is also used when making specialty glass for climate-controlled buildings and cases. A small amount of gold dispersed within the glass or coated onto the glass surface will reflect solar radiation outward, helping the buildings stay cool in the summer, and reflect internal heat inward, helping them stay warm in winter.
The visor on the helmet of an astronaut’s space suit is coated with a very thin film of gold. This thin film reflects much of the very intense solar radiation of space, protecting the astronaut’s eyes and skin.
Gold church dome: Gold dome of a church. Image copyright iStockphoto / Constantine Vishnevsky.
Gold Gilding and Gold Leaf
Gold has the highest malleability of any metal. This enables gold to be beaten into sheets that are only a few millionths of an inch thick. These thin sheets, known as «gold leaf» can be applied over the irregular surfaces of picture frames, molding, or furniture.
Gold leaf is also used on the external and internal surfaces of buildings. This provides a durable and corrosion-resistant covering. One of the most eye-catching uses of gold leaf is on the domes of religious buildings and other important structures. The cost of this «roofing material» is very high per square foot; however, the cost of the gold is only a few percent of the total project cost. Most of the cost goes to the labor of highly skilled artisans who apply the gold leaf.
Prague orloj: Prague Astronomical Clock in the Czech Republic. Image copyright iStockphoto / Kelly Borsheim.
Future Uses of Gold
Gold is too expensive to use by chance. Instead it is used deliberately and only when less expensive substitutes cannot be identified. As a result, once a use is found for gold it is rarely abandoned for another metal. This means that the number of uses for gold have been increasing over time.
Most of the ways that gold is used today have been developed only during the last two or three decades. This trend will likely continue. As our society requires more sophisticated and reliable materials, our uses for gold will increase. This combination of growing demand, few substitutes, and limited supply will cause the value and importance of gold to increase steadily over time. It is truly a metal of the future.
| Information Sources for Gold |
| [1] Gold: Mineral Commodity Summaries, United States Geological Survey. Updated annually. |
[2] Gold: Minerals Yearbook, United States Geological Survey. Updated annually.
[3] Gold.org: Website of the World Gold Council.
[4] GoldPrice.org: Spot and historic prices of gold. Updated continuously.
Substitutes for Gold
Because of its rarity and high price, manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce the amount of gold required to make an object or substitute a less expensive metal in its place. Base metals clad with gold alloys have long been used as a way to reduce the amount of gold used in jewelry and electrical connections. These items are constantly being redesigned to reduce the amount of gold required and to maintain their utility standards. Palladium, platinum, and silver are the most common substitutes for gold that closely retain its desired properties.
Find Other Topics on Geology.com:
| 
| ||
| 
| ||
| 
| ||
| 
|
© 2005-2022 Geology.com. All Rights Reserved.
Images, code, and content on this website are property of Geology.com and are protected by copyright law.
Geology.com does not grant permission for any use, republication, or redistribution.
Company News
Gold is one of the most highly-desired and useful metals in the world. Not only can it be beautifully shaped and sculpted, the precious yellow metal conducts electricity and does not tarnish. These qualities make it the metal of choice for the industrial, medical and technology industries, just to name a few.
Arguably no other metal has been held in higher esteem throughout history, with almost every established culture using gold to symbolise power, beauty, purity and accomplishment.
Today, gold still occupies an important place in our culture and society – we use it to make our most prized objects: wedding rings, Olympic medals, money, jewellery, Oscars, Grammys, crucifixes, art and many more.
1. My precious: Gold has been used to make ornamental objects and fine jewellery for thousands of years. Today, up to 80 per cent of the gold that is newly mined or recycled is used in jewellery manufacture. One reason the lustrous metal is such a popular jewellery choice is because of its malleable properties – it can be drawn into wires, hammered into sheets and/or cast into shapes. Pure gold, which is very soft, is known as 24 karat gold. It has to be forged with other metals such as copper, silver and platinum to increase its durability.
2. Money, money, money: Gold doesn’t just signify jewellery value – it has also long been used as a medium of exchange or money. The first known use of gold in transactions dates back more than 6000 years – gold coins were minted under the order of King Croesus of Lydia (a region of present-day Turkey) in about 560 BC. The rarity, usefulness and desirability of gold make it a substance of high value, plus it’s durable, portable and easily divisible. Today, many governments, individuals and institutions hold investments of gold in the convenient form of bullion.
3. The electronic age: Did you know your iPhone is a virtual gold mine? Well, not quite – mobile phones contain about 0.034g of gold, worth about US$1.82 at today’s prices. Arguably the most important industrial use of gold is in the manufacture of electronics. Gold is a highly efficient conductor which can carry tiny currents and remain corrosion-free. It is used in connectors, switch and relay contacts, soldered joints, connecting wires and connection strips. What’s more, aside from your trusty iPhone, you’ll find gold in calculators and most large electronic appliances – even your standard desktop or laptop computer and your TV.
4. Oh what pretty teeth: The use of gold in dentistry dates back to early as 700 BC, when Etruscan “dentists” used gold wire to fasten replacement teeth into their patients’ mouths. Pretty! Gold is primarily used in dentistry because of its superior performance and aesthetic appeal – after all, a rusty iron smile might not look too hot. Gold alloys are also used for fillings, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances because the precious metal is non-allergenic and easy to work with.
5. To infinity and beyond: Gold truly is a metal of the future – look no further than its use in aerospace. If you are going to spend billions on a space vehicle that, when launched, will travel on a voyage where the possibility of lubrication, maintenance and repair is absolutely zero, then building it with extremely dependable materials is paramount. This is exactly why NASA uses gold in hundreds of ways in every space vehicle it launches. Clearly, gold’s importance as a multi-use metal cannot be overstated.
Gold Characteristics
Gold is a multi-purpose precious metal. Due to its very particular characteristics when compared to other metals, gold becomes a great option in various sectors of the industry.
In addition to being an efficient conductor of electricity, gold is an easy-to-handle metal due to its malleability, and can be molded into coins, wires, and sheets of different thicknesses, or even into shapes with complex details, such as in jewelry. These characteristics make the yellow metal ideal for application in the production of connectors present in cell phones and computers and space vehicles, medical components, and even cosmetics.
As the most sought-after metal on earth, gold can be used neat or as an alloy with other metals, it does not tarnish and its color and luster make it metal with great aesthetic appeal. These characteristics, in turn, make gold the ideal metal for the manufacture of jewelry, trophies, medals, coins, and all kinds of traditional and luxurious ornaments.
Origin and History
Gold is a symbol of power and accomplishment in practically every relevant culture since ancient civilizations. It is also associated with purity and beauty, making it very commonly used in churches – in crucifixes and utensils used in ceremonies, for example – jewelry, awards – such as the Academy Awards Oscars, Grammys, Olympic medals – art and money. The majority of societies’ most important objects are made of gold, even though said societies are significantly different among themselves. From Europe to the Americas, Asia to Africa, the use of gold has been a part of society for thousands of years.
It is known that gold has been used for financial transactions for over 6000 years, even though it was used in its rawer form, simple pieces of gold. The use of gold coins, however, dates back to around 560BC in Lydia – currently a region of Turkey. Gold coins continued to be the primary form of money exchange until the early 1900s when they were mostly replaced by paper currency. Those coins could be used as a unit of currency or by their weight.
Although close to 80% of the gold either mined or recycled nowadays is currently used for making jewelry (according to the World Gold Council), it has many different uses.
What is gold used for
1) Jewelry
Gold has been used in jewelry manufacturing for thousands of years. It is easier to work with than most minerals. It is resistant to tarnishing, highly lustrous, and malleable, not to mention highly desirable due to its high value and attractiveness. It became a tradition for these symbols of social status to be made of gold as well.
Since gold is very soft, it is often alloyed with other metals to make more durable pieces of jewelry. As they are not as valuable as gold, a standard of purity had to be developed, which is known as karatage. Pure gold is 24 karat – usually marked as “24K” – and the percentage of other metals’ weight within the alloys define its karatage. An alloy comprised of 50% weight in gold and 50% in other metals is known as 12 karat gold (12K). If it is 75% gold – and 25% other metals – it is 18 karat gold (18K) and so on.
The higher the karatage, the more lustrous and softer the gold. The lower the karatage, the more susceptible to tarnish it is. On the other hand, the alloy becomes stronger. Different metals in the alloy make different colors and hues, varying from yellow, pink, green, and even black.
2) Money, finance, and investments
As gold is a very rare and valuable metal, people have been using it as a way to exchange money for millennia. Gold is a very desirable and useful metal and has long-term value. It is easy to divide into smaller parts, durable and portable.
Before the US Dollar became a full fiat-based currency, the United States used a “gold standard”, where they maintained actual gold to back every paper dollar printed. The gold standard also meant that people could simply exchange their paper money for its value in gold.
Switzerland was the last country to abandon the gold standard back in 1999. However, banks all over the world still maintain their gold reserves. The most commonly used form of storing gold is in gold bars due to its low cost to manufacture and ease of storage and handling.
Gold bullion coins are another example of a popular way to invest in physical gold bullion. Many government-owned mints across the world produce these coins for both investment and collecting purposes. Arguably, one of the most popular options available in the market nowadays is the American Gold Eagle coins, issued by the United States Mint.
American Gold Eagles
Many investors allocate part of their investment portfolios to owning gold bullion as a way to hedge against inflation and low-interest rates.
3) Dentistry
Gold is a chemically inert metal, highly durable, nonallergenic, and easy to work with, not to mention being aesthetically appealing. These characteristics make it perfect for use in dentistry such as tooth fillings, crowns, and bridges. Albeit being expensive, gold is the best-known metal for such procedures. It is believed gold has been used for over 2700 years to fill in cavities – although archaeological evidence can only back this theory up to 1000 years ago.
The use of gold in dentistry was more abundant until the 1970s, but the fast-increasing price made people look for a substitute for gold. Even though advances were made, gold is being more and more used again due to health concerns, as the recently used materials are not as inert as gold.
4) Medicine
Some medical conditions are treated using gold. Rheumatoid arthritis, some types of cancer, lagophthalmos – which is a condition that prevents people from closing their eyes completely. Gold can also be used in diagnostics, life-support devices, surgical instruments (because of its inertness), electronic equipment (for conductivity and reliability).
5) Electronics
The industry uses gold in a wide variety of manners, but mostly in the process of manufacturing electronic devices, and specifically in parts where good conductivity is paramount. Since modern electronics require very low voltages and currents, they must not be interrupted. These components need to be inert to avoid corrosion as well. Gold is also used in relay contacts, wires, and soldered joints.
Due to its high price, a very thin layer of gold is applied to the components of most sophisticated electronics, such as smartphones, TVs, GPS, calculators, among others. However, close to a billion smartphones are made every year, they have a short-term lifetime, and even though the amount of gold in each is less than 0.04g, only a small portion of them is recycled, which leads to a lot of unrecycled gold every year.
Gold is also widely used in desktop or laptop computers. The need for lightning-fast transmission of data – not to mention its need for reliability and accuracy – demands good and efficient connectors and conductors. Since computers are vital to most, the high cost is justifiable. As computers have a longer lifespan than smartphones, durability is important also, so gold is often alloyed with other metals (e.g. nickel or cobalt).
6) In space
The aerospace industry spends billions of dollars on the development of a single spacecraft. After launch, any possibility of repairing components drops to virtually zero. Hence the need for materials of the utmost reliability.
In spacecrafts, gold is used in various forms. Besides the electronic components, gold is also used as a lubricant for mechanical parts which does not lose its properties in a vacuum, as a reflective film to protect from infrared radiation – which both protects the astronauts and maintains the temperature inside the vehicle by reducing the absorption of heat.
Gold was also used in the coating of the mirror segments in the James Webb Space Telescope due to its efficiency in reflecting infrared light.
James Webb Space Telescope’s Golden Mirror. Source
7) Buildings and Glassmaking
Gold’s reflective properties are as useful on land as in space. Many of the windows in buildings are coated with gold to help regulate the temperature: when applied to the exterior part, it reflects the solar radiation outward mainly during summer to avoid extreme temperatures inside the buildings; whereas when applied to the interior portion of the windows, it reflects the warmth inward, which helps to keep the temperature controlled.
Besides, gold can be also used as a pigment which produces a vibrant ruby coloration in glassmaking.
By using gold leaves – which are sheets of incredibly thin gold – it is also possible to cover structures that become both durable and corrosion resistant – not to mention visually beautiful. Those can be seen in the dome-like structures of religious temples and many other important buildings. This process is costly not only due to the price of gold, but also the requirement of specialized craftsmanship to apply said gold leaves.
The Dubai Frame. Source
8) Cosmetics and beauty
Gold has been used in skincare treatments since ancient Egypt. It is known that Cleopatra and Nefertiti wore gold masks to sleep. Gold particles keep the skin hydrated and improve its elasticity, slowing the aging process. Gold has properties that help protect the skin – it is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant, thus preventing the development of acne. The production of melanin is also decreased by gold, making it a great asset in preventing sun damage.
9) Printing
Gold is usually associated with upper classes and quality. And it is no different when we think about printing. It not only improves the brand reputation but also grabs the viewer’s attention with high-quality designs. Real gold is used in the form of foils, which have been used for centuries. The foil gets pressed and heated, leaving a gold imprint and also an indentation in the material. It works like a stamp and is called Foil Blocking.
There is, however, the need of casting what is to be printed in metal for the gold to be transferred to the material. Technology has made its impact in printing, bringing gold printing to the digital age. Nowadays, no cast or heat is needed, as UV light is used to fix the foil in the printed material. The indentation is no longer present, which is a letdown for some.
10) Awards, displaying wealth and status symbols
People display wealth in many different forms: clothes, accessories, and especially jewelry. And no jewelry is more eye-catching than the lustrous yellow of gold. Different cultures from all over the world have gold in the highest esteem when it comes to jewelry. In India, for example, wearing gold jewelry attracts wealth and blessings. Gold is luxurious. People who wear it are considered superior by many. If we look back to the monarchies and empires, the reigning figure would wear crowns and jewelry made of gold. The clergy – also of great importance and prestige for many years – have used gold in a variety of religious objects, art, and buildings. Symbols, crosses, and also communion ware was made of silver and gold alloys because they are associated with purity and other positive characteristics.
The status brought by gold is also seen in awards for sports and arts. The first place in any sport in the Olympic Games (the epitome of all sports) is awarded a gold medal. In the film industry, the Academy Awards Oscars are given to the cream of the crop. In music, we have the Grammys – which are (surprise!) gold.
Even in gastronomy, the use of gold has become a symbol of status. Foils that are millionths of an inch thick are used in both food and drinks – there is only one catch: for the gold to be considered edible, it needs to be pure or at least 22 karat gold and silver alloy, which is also chemically inert.
Future uses of gold
The cost of using gold in everyday activities and utensils makes its final price high, so its use is made only when it is not possible to replace it with any other metal. With such complete and functional properties, a similar component will hardly have a lower cost than gold.
Considering the last 30 years, where the use of gold has been consolidated in different sectors of the industry, the tendency is that the population increase, the greater purchasing power, the elaboration of certain products, with low durability, and the launch of several versions in a short time, make this demand even greater until a replacement is found.
FAQs
What is gold most used for today?
Jewelry manufacturing is the activity with the highest use of gold. Even with many uses, the properties of gold make it ideal for making jewelry. Around 78% of all gold mined is used in the manufacture of jewelry.
Why is gold used for currency?
Although there are no more countries in the world in the gold standard, gold was used as a currency and commodity money for its noble properties. It does not corrode, it can’t be easily damaged, it will not poison the holder or lose value over time. In addition, it is malleable and easy to turn into coins with specific weight and measures to standardize a face value and circulation.
What is colloidal gold used for?
Colloidal gold is composed of very fine gold particles that have been dissipated into pure deionized water. It has anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating properties. It is used for a range of therapeutic purposes, including treating or rheumatic diseases,
What is liquid gold used for?
Liquid gold is a solution containing a small percentage, usually 5% to 10% of an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), usually Glycolic Acid. It is used as a chemical exfoliating tonic. It breaks down dead skin cells from the outer layers of your skin. It can help reduce sun damage and wrinkles, giving the skin a fresher younger appearance.