In addition to the traditional jewelry industry, precious metals also find their application in electronics and many industries. They are famous not only for their unearthly beauty and shimmer, but also for high strength indicators, as well as resistance to external influences. The value of these metals is also explained by the fact that in nature they are not so easy to find.
Famous noble metals
Noble metals are gold, silver and platinum, which are known to us mainly in the jewelry industry. They have several derivatives (rhodium, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, osmium), which can also be attributed to this category. Nevertheless, there is no unity among scientists about the completeness of this list. So, a number of researchers believe that technetium also complements precious metals. Its peculiarity is radioactivity.
Jewelry has gained such a status due to the fact that they are practically not subject to corrosion, as well as the effects of most chemical elements. For jewelry, not only shine and shimmer are important, but also the fact that noble metals practically do not enter into any reaction with the human body, and therefore do not lose their properties over time and do not lead to inflammation and allergic reactions. Their cost also increases due to the fact that they are quite rare in nature.
Characteristics of platinum and its derivatives
The group of precious metals is characterized by increased strength, electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as resistance to destruction. Nevertheless, each of them also has some features that give them special value. So, speaking of rhodium, it is worth noting its silver-blue hue. Despite the fact that it is quite resistant to chemical reactions, mechanical effects on it are destructive. Nonetheless it the most expensive metal on the planet, and its price may exceed $ 200 per gram.
The second most valuable gold metal is platinum. Its price is 30-40 dollars per gram. Neither air nor any aggressive chemicals can oxidize this substance. Since platinum is extremely rare in natural conditions, it is combined with other metals.
Osmium is the most weighty of all known precious metals. Its color is close to white with a barely noticeable silver tint. It is worth noting that in its pure form it is impossible to obtain in nature. As a result, the cost of metal rises at times, and therefore it is used quite rarely (only in specific industries). The strength of osmium can be considered hardness and refractoriness, but mechanical influences can become destructive for it.
Iridium in its appearance is very similar to the previous metal, and it is also rare in nature. It resembles osmium in its characteristics, but with one serious reservation. Iridium belongs to the category of heavy metals, which pose a danger to human health.
Rare and noble metals are crowned with ruthenium. As you already understood, it is quite difficult to find any of the representatives of the platinum group in nature, and the opportunity to meet this element is also negligible. That is why it is practically not used in industry, and even more so in jewelry production. Its purpose is to act as a catalyst in a number of chemical reactions.
Palladium is lightweight, which is not inherent in any other precious metal.It is mined in places of accumulation of copper and nickel ores. From its group, this substance is considered the cheapest. But by such characteristics as fusibility and strength, it is in no way inferior to other metals.
Gold characteristics
Such a noble metal, like gold, is most often used in jewelry. The first thing that catches your eye is the incredible brilliance and warm yellowish tint that distinguishes jewelry made from aurum. By its effect, gold can be replaced only by platinum. Its price is many times higher, and therefore it is the yellow metal that remains the market leader.
If we talk about the characteristics of gold, it is worth noting that it is an excellent thermal and electrical conductor. As for the chemical stability of this metal, we note that it does not differ in outstanding indicators, and therefore it is not used so often in industry. And since gold is viscous and malleable, and even has a large weight, the jewelry industry is the ideal application for it.
Silver characteristics
The most common can be considered silver. Metal is quite common in nature, and therefore its value compared with other noble "brothers" is quite low. The structure of silver is very soft and flexible, it conducts heat and electricity very well. It is also worth noting the active participation of Ag in all kinds of chemical reactions.
In jewelry, silver comes second after gold. Metal provides great opportunities for creating the most intricate art forms, and the cost of such products is very affordable. In addition, craftsmen often mask silver with gold or platinum using special spraying. Nevertheless, the expert’s experienced eye will immediately notice the substitution, which cannot be said about ordinary inhabitants, who can get exquisite jewelry at an affordable price.
Precious metals in the economy
Noble and precious metals since ancient times served as a means of payment. They even made money from them, but later this practice became obsolete. Nevertheless, in the modern financial system, these materials continue to play a leading role. This is a powerful financial instrument that is the foundation of the economy. This state of affairs is due to several factors:
- Gold and silver were the first world currency, which allowed for the implementation of commodity-money relations. The cost of the very first coins did not depend on where and by whom they were minted. The main role was played by the quality of the metal, as well as its weight parameters, which determined the value of the currency.
- Even at a time when silver coins have long sunk into oblivion, this and other metals are still considered the basis of the welfare of the state. The amount of cash is strictly regulated by the amount of gold in reserve. Metal is also an excellent object for investment, as it is constantly growing in price.
However, precious metals have such an indisputable minus as the ability to wear out over the years, albeit slightly. But traders here found a way out. Trading takes place not using real metal bullion, but through the sale of special securities.
The use of noble metals
One of the most important functions of precious metals is economic, since they have long played the role of cash. Despite the fact that today they are only providing the state treasury, this does not mean that gold and platinum have lost their relevance. They find their application in many industries.
Alloys of precious metals play a huge role in such a field as electrical engineering. Since they all conduct excellent current, the smallest details for the contacts of microcircuits are made from such substances.If it comes to a low voltage level, then such metals and their alloys show high strength.
Since precious metals are characterized by resistance to chemical influences, they are quite widely used in the manufacture of laboratory devices and equipment. They also found their application in mechanical engineering related to the mining industry. Of the gold, silver and platinum are made those parts of the units that are in direct contact with certain chemicals. It can be heating, measuring and other elements. Also, metals of noble origin are often used in the manufacture of high-strength glassware for laboratory research.
Precious metals are widely used in medicine. For example, silver, due to its bactericidal properties, is often included in alloys for the production of surgical supplies. A small amount of this metal is also present in the x-ray film.
Thus, as you may have noticed, the jewelry industry is far from the limit of using precious metals. Almost every electrical appliance contains a small amount of one or another precious substance. In addition, if you want to protect yourself from germs, make it a rule to use silver cutlery.
How the value of precious metals is formed
All types of precious metals are distinguished by the fact that their reserves in nature are extremely limited. In addition, compared with other substances, they have a fairly high price. When forming the value for precious metals, a number of factors are necessarily taken into account:
- Supply and demand in the market. In accordance with economic laws, the higher the demand for a particular product (in this case, a precious metal), the stronger the price will increase. If we talk about the proposal, then it acts in a diametrically opposite way. So, if metal mining increases sharply, then its value will immediately collapse.
- State funds. Since almost all countries use metals of noble origin as a reserve, they can regulate the market situation in a certain way. Thus, by bidding part of its reserves (intentionally or forcedly), the government will contribute to a sharp decrease in the price of this product. If a decision is made to replenish reserves, the opposite situation will develop.
- The method and scale of production. It is worth noting that the cost of precious metals largely depends on how and in which place it is mined. So, if we talk about third world countries where labor is very cheap, the cost of raw materials will be simply insignificant compared to the price paid by the end customer.
Noble metal alloys
The characteristic features of metals of noble origin are malleability and ductility. Sometimes these characteristics are so pronounced that the use of a substance in its pure form becomes impossible. Then, in production, they resort to the creation of alloys. Excipients are selected in accordance with which precious metals are taken as the basis.
Speaking of gold, it is worth noting that it is almost always used in the form of an alloy. Nevertheless, if we talk about jewelry, then the possibilities in the field of impurities are very limited. So, if we are talking about creating jewelry, then gold can be smelted with silver, copper or platinum and palladium.
Even such an inexpensive and easy to use material as silver also requires some foreign substances to ensure higher quality products. This component is most often copper. Moreover, the more accurate and refined the work, the less impurities are introduced into the base.
Since platinum is a rather rare metal, certain impurities are often added to it. And even in the most expensive products without foreign substances can not do. So, a number of additional elements are required in the case when it is necessary to ensure the strength of the mounts or frames of precious stones. If we talk about derivatives of platinum, then they themselves can act as additional impurities that provide the strength of some elements of jewelry.
Precious metals processing
Admiring beautiful jewelry, few people think about what procedures a metal went through to turn into an elegant little thing. There are a number of techniques and techniques by which precious substances are processed:
- forging - consists in stretching and shaping a metal using special tools;
- casting - involves the manufacture of certain products by filling molds with molten raw materials;
- carving - involves removing part of the metal from the surface of the product to create a pattern or relief;
- coinage is the giving of metal to three-dimensional forms by a strong blow with a solid object;
- basma - the image of certain motifs or patterns on an ultra-thin sheet of a precious metal;
- scan - is a pattern formed by soldering a thin wire onto a base sheet;
- solder - is used for strong connection between the individual elements of the product (an important feature of this technique is that the connection points are completely invisible);
- black - giving the individual elements of the product a darker shade by combining the base with an alloy of silver, sulfur, copper and lead, which has a pronounced dark shade;
- enamel - coating the elements of a substance with a colored composition resembling glass in its liquid structure (enamel gains strength and opacity after processing by high temperature).
How precious metals are mined
Gold was one of the first metals that man discovered. Historians claim that ancient people, finding nuggets, simply made holes in them and worn on their neck. And since the metal was clean enough, it could easily be given to any form. Later they began to search for gold purposefully, sifting sand in the rivers.
Now it is mined in a completely different way. Gold is extracted from underground deposits. To begin with, the ore is treated with special substances to obtain a solution. Then it goes through a filtration procedure, as a result of which gold is separated from impurities. Also, mercury can be used to separate metal from other substances. Next, the gold is sent to refineries where its complete purification takes place.
Despite the fact that silver is a relatively cheap material, its nuggets are almost never found in nature. That is why it became known to mankind several centuries later. Underground ore contains only 20% of impurities. However, silver is not mined purposefully. It can be considered a by-product of the processing of copper and lead. Like gold, Ag is also refined in refineries.
Precious metals should not be underestimated, referring their scope of application only to jewelry. In fact, their use covers many industries where strength and accuracy are required.
