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12 practical uses for gold

Gold is valued for its ‘flat currency’ in a turbulent market – but there’s more to it than that…
9.40am, 23 Sep 2012
13.3k
9

GOLD’S LUSTRE HAS seduced jewellery lovers around the world for thousands of years.

Meanwhile, sceptics of fiat currency argue that it’s the only legitimate store of value.

However, gold has many other real world functions that people don’t know about.

The folks at US Funds put together this slideshow to illustrate some of the uses of gold.

12 practical uses for gold
1 / 12

  • Gold - coveted by many

    Gold’s qualities make it one of the most coveted metals in the world. Not only can it be beautifully shaped and sculpted, the yellow metal conducts electricity and does not tarnish. These qualities make it the metal of choice for a wide variety of industries. Let’s take a look at some industrial, medical and technological uses of gold, some of which are truly amazing. Pic: AP Photo/Nick Ut

  • It's been used by dentists for 3,000 years

    Gold has been used in dentistry for nearly 3,000 years. The first book published on dentistry, entitled Artzney Buchlein, appeared in 1530. The book suggests dentists fill cavities and rotten teeth with gold leaf. Pic: US Global Investors.

  • Gold is not toxic

    Thousands of years later gold is still being used for fillings, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances. Gold is a bio-compatible metal, meaning it can be placed in contact with a person’s body and not cause harm to one’s health. Pic: AP Photo/Franklin Reyes

  • Gold's a great conductor of electricity

    Gold is a highly efficient conductor of electricity and is used in most electronic devices, including cell phones. Gold contained in connectors, switches and relay contacts allows phones to remain free of corrosion. Pic: AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh

  • How much gold is in your mobile?

    According to the World Gold Council, a single mobile device contains up to 50 milligrams of gold. That’s a tiny amount but nearly 1 billion cell phones are produced each year. With a gold value of about 38 cent in each phone, that adds up to €384 million dollars in gold each year. Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire

  • Gold is found in most computers

    Gold can also be found in most standard desktop and laptop computers. The precious metal is used in a CPU’s memory chip and motherboard, allowing parts of your computer to receive power and communicate with each other. Pic: AP Photo/Jerome Favre

  • Gold has been used in medicine for 4,500 years

    The earliest medical use of gold can be traced back to China in 2500 BC. Chinese physicians used pure gold to treat furuncles, smallpox, skin ulcers and to remove mercury from skin and flesh, says GoldBulletin. Pic: CP PHOTO - Steve White

  • Nowadays, it's used to treat arthritis

    Today the metal is primarily used to treat patients with arthritis. Gold salts are used to reduce swelling, bone damage and to relieve joint pain and stiffness. It’s a slow process; patients generally receive 22 weeks of gold injections before experiencing relief. Pic: AP Photo/Reed Saxon

  • Gold can be flattened into extremely thin sheets

    Gold is highly malleable and flexible. Gold can be beaten into thin sheets, only a few millionths of an inch thick. These sheets, known as gold leaf, are displayed on buildings throughout the world, such as St. Michael’s Cathedral in Kiev, Ukraine. Pic: AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov

  • It is corrosion-resistant....

    ...Which is why it isn't a bad idea to build India's Sripuram Golden Temple out of 1.5 tons of gold. Pic: US Funds

  • Gold is used in space...

    It’s truly a gold universe. Space vehicles are fitted with gold-coated polyester film to reflect infrared radiation and to help stabilize core temperatures, says Geology.com. Without gold, darker colored parts of spacecraft would absorb significant amounts of heat. Pic: US Funds

  • It's also found in space suits

    NASA also protects its astronauts using gold. Astronauts’ helmets are covered by the extravehicular visor assembly. The visor is coated with a thin layer of gold to filter out the sun’s harmful rays, according to NASA. Pic: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
  • Gold’s qualities make it one of the most coveted metals in the world. Not only can it be beautifully shaped and sculpted, the yellow metal conducts electricity and does not tarnish. These qualities make it the metal of choice for a wide variety of industries. Let’s take a look at some industrial, medical and technological uses of gold, some of which are truly amazing. Pic: AP Photo/Nick Ut
  • Gold has been used in dentistry for nearly 3,000 years. The first book published on dentistry, entitled Artzney Buchlein, appeared in 1530. The book suggests dentists fill cavities and rotten teeth with gold leaf. Pic: US Global Investors.
  • Thousands of years later gold is still being used for fillings, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances. Gold is a bio-compatible metal, meaning it can be placed in contact with a person’s body and not cause harm to one’s health. Pic: AP Photo/Franklin Reyes
  • Gold is a highly efficient conductor of electricity and is used in most electronic devices, including cell phones. Gold contained in connectors, switches and relay contacts allows phones to remain free of corrosion. Pic: AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh
  • According to the World Gold Council, a single mobile device contains up to 50 milligrams of gold. That’s a tiny amount but nearly 1 billion cell phones are produced each year. With a gold value of about 38 cent in each phone, that adds up to €384 million dollars in gold each year. Pic: Julien Behal/PA Wire
  • Gold can also be found in most standard desktop and laptop computers. The precious metal is used in a CPU’s memory chip and motherboard, allowing parts of your computer to receive power and communicate with each other. Pic: AP Photo/Jerome Favre
  • The earliest medical use of gold can be traced back to China in 2500 BC. Chinese physicians used pure gold to treat furuncles, smallpox, skin ulcers and to remove mercury from skin and flesh, says GoldBulletin. Pic: CP PHOTO - Steve White
  • Today the metal is primarily used to treat patients with arthritis. Gold salts are used to reduce swelling, bone damage and to relieve joint pain and stiffness. It’s a slow process; patients generally receive 22 weeks of gold injections before experiencing relief. Pic: AP Photo/Reed Saxon
  • Gold is highly malleable and flexible. Gold can be beaten into thin sheets, only a few millionths of an inch thick. These sheets, known as gold leaf, are displayed on buildings throughout the world, such as St. Michael’s Cathedral in Kiev, Ukraine. Pic: AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov
  • ...Which is why it isn't a bad idea to build India's Sripuram Golden Temple out of 1.5 tons of gold. Pic: US Funds
  • It’s truly a gold universe. Space vehicles are fitted with gold-coated polyester film to reflect infrared radiation and to help stabilize core temperatures, says Geology.com. Without gold, darker colored parts of spacecraft would absorb significant amounts of heat. Pic: US Funds
  • NASA also protects its astronauts using gold. Astronauts’ helmets are covered by the extravehicular visor assembly. The visor is coated with a thin layer of gold to filter out the sun’s harmful rays, according to NASA. Pic: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Thanks to US Funds for allowing us to feature this presentation.

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