Surprising uses of precious metals: we could write a whole book on this topic, but we’ll stick to the highlights. Gold is used for many things besides jewelry and bullion. In fact, all precious metals – not just gold – have some fascinating uses across a wide array of industries. With applications in medicine, electronics, space exploration and more, these crucial elements help shape the world as we know it.
Precious Metals in Dentistry
Gold dental work is one of the oldest examples of metals in medicine, dating back to ancient times. Dentists still use gold, silver, platinum and palladium in various restorations today. Precious metal alloys are well-suited for dental work because they offer exceptional biocompatibility, malleability, durability and non-corrosive properties. Sometimes, dental gold is worn solely for fashion purposes: the gold tooth jewelry trend has cycled through different iterations throughout history.
Dentistry aside, gold and other precious metals play pivotal roles in many other medical applications, some of which are life-saving.
Medical Metals
Gold is the most malleable element on earth – it can be hammered to be thinner than a wavelength of visible light! This malleability is super helpful in the creation of gold nanoparticles – very tiny specks of gold – which have a range of medical uses, including targeted drug delivery, bioimaging (such as CT scans), cancer treatments and more.
Platinum, another biocompatible and non-reactive metal, is also used for cancer treatments and medical implants including pacemakers, stents, catheters and more. Similarly, palladium is widely used in medical devices and implants due to its biocompatibility. It also serves as a catalyst in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.
Silver shines in the medical world due to its natural antimicrobial properties. It’s used in surgical tools, needles and catheters. Silver has also been used in wound care for thousands of years. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates wrote about using silver to aid in wound care as early as 400 BC. Today, silver ions (positively charged atoms or molecules of silver) are used in dressings and wound treatments to keep harmful bacteria at bay.
Silver and Gold in Electronics
Silver and gold are used in electronics like smartphones, computers, televisions, audio equipment, automobile parts, military weapon systems and more – specifically within components like circuit boards, connectors and wires. Both of these metals are wonderful conductors of electricity. In fact, silver is considered the best electrical conductor of all metals. Gold offers unparalleled resistance to corrosion, maintaining reliable electrical connections for decades. Special inks using gold and silver nanoparticles are used to print small amounts of the metals onto different surfaces, creating water-resistant circuits.
Silver, and sometimes gold, are used in the reflective layer of CDs and DVDs. Gold is more durable, but silver is used more often because it’s cheaper and more widely available.
Platinum and palladium are key elements in data storage – specifically hard disk drives, which store huge amounts of info on computers and servers. The long-term stability of these metals help to ensure data protection over time.
Gold in Space Exploration
Not only does gold come from outer space, but it helps us explore the cosmos. It’s truly out of this world! In fact, gold is an essential element in space exploration technology. With no atmosphere to buffer temperatures, the climate in space can get pretty extreme, ranging from hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit to hundreds below zero. Gold’s reflective powers help protect astronauts and their equipment from infrared radiation and extreme heat exposure. The metal is used in satellites, telescopes, spacesuits and more.
PGMs in Automobiles
Platinum group metals are big players in the auto industry, prized for their reliability and resistance to high temperatures. Platinum, palladium and rhodium act as catalysts in catalytic converters, facilitating the conversion of toxic gases from the engine (like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons) into less harmful substances (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapor).
Platinum also acts as a catalyst in fuel cell electric vehicles, and is sometimes used in spark plugs, the small devices that ignite fuel in engines.
Gold is used in various electric components of cars such as the engine control unit, airbag systems, ABS sensors and more. And silver is used within battery management systems, ensuring reliable energy flow.
Glassmaking, Photography, Clothing & More
The functions of metals in medicine, electronics, space tech, and automobiles are fascinating – but it’s the most random, niche uses of precious metals that make for the best fun facts. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Silver is used in the making of mirrors and solar panels because it’s so highly reflective.
- Gold is used in special forms of glassmaking. (If you’ve ever heard of ruby glass, it’s made using gold!)
- Silver has been used in film photography for over 150 years.
- Platinum is alloyed with cobalt to make heavy-duty, permanent magnets.
- Gold and silver particles are sometimes infused into clothing fabrics for a variety of purposes including antibacterial properties, thermal regulation, and of course, a luxurious aesthetic.
Recycling Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium
Given that much of our daily technology relies on precious metals, it’s important to preserve these finite resources as much as possible. While mining remains a major source of precious metals, recycled metals recovered from scrap materials also play a significant role in the global supply. This is where precious metals refineries like Garfield Refining come into play!
If you have unwanted precious metal scrap – whether it’s jewelry, flatware, or dental material – selling it to a refinery like Garfield ensures that you’ll get the highest possible payment. Plus, by recycling your metals, you’re helping to sustain the global supply as your materials are refined and reintroduced into the market. It’s a win-win.
Do you have precious metal items that you’d like to recycle? Look no further than Garfield Refining, North America’s trusted precious metals refinery since 1892! Get started today with a free shipping label to mail in your scrap.