The chemical element of gold: properties. How to find gold?

Today, gold is valued all over the world. There is no girl who does not dream of gold jewelry. The precious metal has gained immense popularity for a long time. Even in ancient times, with its help, jewelry, guardians and dishes were made. Today, to buy a product made of gold will not be 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. From the time of the Neolithic, the history of the discovery of a chemical element begins. Gold for several millennia before our era 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. The ancient alchemists called gold "the king of metals." And it was denoted by the symbol of the sun.

In those places where the first civilizations were born, just as they began to scale up gold. This is the eastern Mediterranean, the Indus Valley, North Africa. Gold prefers solitude. Most often it is found in native form. In ancient times, the metal was collected manually. To collect one gram of gold, had to work day and night.

Closely related to various geographical discoveries is the history of the chemical element. Gold could be found almost immediately on a new land.

Gold in nature

The chemical element Gold in nature is widely distributed. On average, the lithosphere contains about 4.3 · 10 ^{- 7} %, based on mass. The cost of metal is high due to the complexity of its extraction. Gold is also found in igneous rocks. Here it is scattered. In the earth's crust, a hydrothermal gold deposit is formed, which plays a huge role in industry. In a native state, this metal is most often mined in ores. Only in rare cases are minerals formed with bismuth, antimony, selenium, etc.

The chemical element Gold is also contained in the biosphere. Here, it migrates in combination with various organic compounds. In river weights it is often possible to find metal. One liter of natural water can contain about 4 · 10 ^-9 % of 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 whole deposits of precious metal under the earth.

Today gold is mined in 40 countries of the world. The main reserves of precious metal are concentrated in the CIS countries, Canada, South Africa.

Physical properties of precious metal

Gold is a plastic enough metal. It can easily be mechanically affected. Gold of good quality can be stretched into a wire or forged in flat sheets. Metal is resistant to various chemical influences, easily conducts electricity and heat. The density of gold at room temperature is about 19.32 g / cm ³ .

The chemical element Gold is characterized by a bright yellow color, provided there are no impurities. But pure gold in nature is practically not found. Even in bank ingots metal is not presented in a perfectly pure form. In nature, it occurs with the addition of silver, copper, etc.

Gold is easily polished. Thanks to a good reflective ability, metal is very valued in jewelry. It's amazing that even the sun's rays can pass through thin sheets of precious metal. At the same time, their temperature will decrease. It is no accident that in modern construction the chemical element Gold is used for window tinting.

Chemical properties of gold

As the history of the discovery of the chemical element suggests, Gold was known long before the appearance of Mendeleyev's table. But in it, metal takes an honorable place. In the table Gold is indicated under the atomic number 79 and is denoted by the Latin letters Au. Valence of a precious metal in chemical compounds is usually +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. An exception can only be its atoms on the surface.

The composition of gold determines its chemical properties. The metal does not react with phosphorus, hydrogen, or nitrogen. But with halogens, gold forms compounds when heated. With chlorine and bromine water , a reaction occurs even at room temperature. These reagents are available only in laboratories. But in everyday life, a solution to the metal may be a solution of potassium iodide and iodine.

Mineral acids and alkalis in most cases do not affect gold. It is on this property that the method for determining the authenticity of the precious metal is based. Few people know how to find gold among a variety of jewelry. Decorate with nitric acid. Gold under the influence of a chemical substance will not change its appearance. But another metal can come into reaction.

How to find gold?

Most often gold is extracted from placer deposits. In this case, the soaking method is used. It is based on the difference in the density of the waste rock and gold. How to get high quality gold, only real professionals can know.

Such methods as amalgamation and cyanidation are popular. Thus began to mine gold in America and Africa in the late nineteenth century. Today, indigenous deposits are the main sources of obtaining precious metal. The composition of gold can depend on the rocks that are near. And also from the climatic environment.

Initially, the gold rock is crushed and treated with a solution of sodium or potassium cyanide. Further, the material is subjected to electrolysis purification. Prepare a bath with hydrochloric acid solution in advance. When the current passes through the rock, the impurities fall out in the form of a precipitate. The result is a purified precious metal.

Where is gold used?

Many people know gold in the form of jewelry. Meanwhile, metal is widely used in various industries. However, the composition of gold may be somewhat different. Alloys with other metals are often used. Thus, not only does the expensive material save, but its strength also increases. Precious metal becomes more resistant to various mechanical damages.

The quality of gold used in industry is indicated by breakdown. This way you can find out how much the material is "clean". Most often the precious metal is diluted with copper. Alloys with silver 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 stable equipment. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Gold compounds have also been used in photographs. With the help of a chemical element, toning was performed.

Gold as an element of art

In the jewelry business, gold has been used since ancient times. Today this type of industry is one of the most profitable. Many products designed by designers, let on the flow. But actual to this day are handmade jewelry. The manufacture of such products is a real art, which deserves close attention.

Since the discovery of the chemical element, gold people began to use for making jewelry and various decor. Today, designers who not only develop products, but also perform them independently, have a good income. Manual work in conjunction with expensive material gives an excellent result. All jewelry is beautiful and original.

Gold in the economy

In the conditions of commodity production, the function of the universal equivalent is fulfilled by gold. The value of this metal is difficult to overestimate. The material has its own consumer value. In many cases, precious metal can replace even money. Gold is valued because of its properties. It can act as the best monetary commodity. Gold is stored for a long time, does not lend itself to chemical attack, is easily divided and processed.

The same ingot can be used in industry, and then, with a little processing, - become a material for making jewelry. We can say that this precious metal is immortal.

Banking sphere

In ancient times, gold was used only for making jewelry. Then it became an excellent means of saving and accumulating wealth. Those who knew how to get gold did not have to think about tomorrow. After all, precious metal was expensive enough at all times.

Today, gold is widely used for making coins. But precious metal does not flow into money circulation. Coins or ingots are stored in financial institutions in the form of savings. Investing in precious metals today is at the peak of popularity. Thus, you can not only save money, but also multiply them.

What does the sample mean?

With the development of industry, many companies have learned to produce high-quality jewelry, which is practically not different from real gold. An unscrupulous seller will easily sell a "dummy" to a gullible buyer. Therefore, everyone should know how to choose the gold product correctly.

First of all, the quality of this precious metal is determined by the breakdown. Even if the decoration comes on sale from abroad, it is stamped with a state stamp. The most common products are 585-th test. They contain 58.5% pure gold. Products of 999 samples are not found in mass sale. But on bars, which fill the state gold fund, there is 990 test.

What will the color tell?

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 tint. Copper and cobalt make it possible to obtain dark-colored jewelry.

Rose gold is very popular today . Such an alloy is obtained through the addition of silver and copper. But exclusive black gold is created using cobalt and chromium. In many cases, consumers overpay for fashion trends. In this case, the content of gold in the product can be minimal. In just a few years, jewelry can depreciate. Therefore, preference still should be given to the classic yellow metal.

How to confirm the quality of the jewelry?

Many may want to find out the real value of jewelry. You can refer to a private expert, but in this case the result will not be documented. The exact percentage of gold and impurities in the jewelry can be determined in the State Assay Inspection. After the procedure, the consumer receives a certificate confirming the quality. The product does not deteriorate during the examination.

Where to buy gold?

Everything depends on the ultimate goals. If you need to buy a jewelry as a gift, you can contact any specialized store. Much cheaper quality gold jewelry can be purchased online. Preference is given to the traditional yellow gold. In it, the precious metal in its pure form is contained in the greatest quantity. Such a product can last a long time and will even be inherited.

For investment, bank gold bars are suitable. Each financial institution offers its own terms for acquiring gold. But the most profitable investments do not necessarily guarantee reliability. Preference should be given to banks that have been working for more than 10 years and receive positive feedback from existing customers.