The Element Gold

The element gold is the basis for much of the world’s wealth today. One of today’s most highly valued and sought after precious metals, it has many uses from jewelry to bullion to industrial electrical components, the list is endless.

History Of Gold

Gold was among the first metals to be mined because it can occur in its native form, that is, not combined with other elements, because it is beautiful, valuable, imperishable, and because exquisite objects can be made from it.

Gold is sometimes found free in nature but it is usually found in conjunction with silver, quartz (SiO2), calcite (CaCO3), lead, tellurium, zinc or copper.

Artisans of ancient civilizations used gold lavishly in decorating tombs and temples, and gold objects made more than 5,000 years ago have been found in Egypt.

Gold Element Facts

Atomic Number: 79
Symbol of Element : Au derived from the Latin word “aurum.”
Atomic Weight: 196.966569
Melting Point: 1337.33 K (1064.18°C or 1947.52°F)
Boiling Point: 3129 K (2856°C or 5173°F)
Density: 19.282 grams per cubic centimeter
Phase at Room Temperature: Solid
Element Classification: Metal
Number of Protons/Electrons in Gold : 79
Number of Neutrons in Gold : 118
Color of Gold : Soft yellow

The element gold is extremely malleable and is normally alloyed with other metals, such as silver, copper, platinum or palladium, to increase its strength and durability.

An excellent conductor of electricity and heat it has become a highly sought after element in the manufacturing of computer components, circuit boards and many industrial and consumer electronic and connectors.

The most common uses of gold are in

The manufacturing of Jewelry
Bullion and Coinage
Dental Alloys
Electrical-electronic applications
Aircraft-aerospace industry
The arts
Medical and chemical fields

The Element Gold To Gold Bullion

Gold is relatively scarce in the earth, but it occurs in many different kinds of rocks and in many different geological environments. Though scarce, gold is concentrated by geologic processes to form commercial deposits of two principal types: lode (primary) deposits and placer (secondary) deposits.

Lode deposits are the targets for the “hardrock” prospector seeking gold at the site of its deposition from mineralizing solutions.

Placer deposits represent concentrations of gold derived from lode deposits by erosion, disintegration or decomposition of the enclosing rock, and subsequent concentration by gravity.

The basic unit of weight used in dealing with gold is the troy ounce. One troy ounce is equivalent to 20 troy pennyweights. In the jewelry industry, the common unit of measure is the pennyweight (dwt.) which is equivalent to 1.555 grams.

For more information on using precipitants to extricate gold from Iron Ore click here.

The Element Gold And It’s Economic Value To The World

Gold is mined in 94 countries, of which the United States is the second largest producer, after the Republic of South Africa, and accounts for 335 metric tons (t), or nearly 13 percent of world production in 2001.

Worldwide, hundreds of gold-producing mines yield about 2,600 metric tons per year (t/yr) of gold, a quantity that had a market value of about $22 billion in 2001.

With the inclusion of secondary (recycled) gold and outflow from aboveground bullion stocks, the world market supply of bullion is nearly 3,900 t/yr, and had an approximate market value in 2001 of $34 billion.

In the United States, in 2001, gold was produced at 53 Lode mines (including 8 base-metal mines), several large placer mines, and numerous small placer mines. Nearly all the mines are in the contiguous Western States and Alaska. Each year they produce metal valued at about $3.0 billion, employ 9,000 people at mine and mill operations, and indirectly enable the employment of another 85,000 people.

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We Buy Gold, Platinum And Silver In Any Condition Canada Wide.

If you’re thinking of selling your unwanted gold, platinum or silver remember we buy gold and precious metals Canada wide including:

Ontario On, British Columbia BC, Alberta AB, Saskatchewan SK, Manitoba MB, Quebec QC, Nova Scotia NS, New Brunswick NB, Newfoundland and Labrador NL, Prince Edward Island PEI, Yukon YT, Nunavut and the North West Territories NT