Gems, Precious Stones, Precious Metals - Gold

Gold - Gem Color 7 - #D4AF37

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and atomic number 79. Is a dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal with a bright yellow color and luster that is considered attractive, which is maintained without tarnishing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements, solid under standard conditions. The metal therefore occurs often in free elemental (native) form, as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Less commonly, it occurs in minerals as gold compounds, usually with tellurium.

A total of 171,300 tonnes of gold have been mined in human history, according to GFMS as of 2011. The world consumption of new gold produced is about 50% in jewelry, 40% in investments, and 10% in industry. Besides its widespread monetary and symbolic functions, gold has many practical uses in dentistry, electronics, and other fields.