What I want to know is

[starone]

Why is gold so valued? It doesn't seem to be useful for anything except making ornaments or baubles. The same thing applies to so-called 'precious' stones, some of which are extremely difficult to obtain - even involving death in the attempt to get them. Beats me. Perhaps someone has a good explanation.

[MrIncredible]

According to Stephen fry on QI
"A ton of mobile phones contains more gold than a ton of gold ore from a gold mine!"
So gold must be useful other than just looking pretty!

[starone]

Really? You learn something every day don't you. No wonder some firms will pay for old mobile phones. I wondered what they did with them. Extract the gold I would think!

[EDDIE51]

Gold is a form of international currency that is not effected by individual currency variations. You have to have something to set the value of currecncy against that 'something' is Gold

[starone]

Thanks for that explanation Eddie. It's still useless though isn't it? I mean, it doesn't do anything really useful, like curing the common cold (I know that's way out but I am just trying to illustrate what I mean).

[HowardKennitby]

Scarcity, Pleasant appearance, chemically inert, it ticks most of the boxes.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Gold is one of the best electrical conductors because it wont tarnish and create high resistance to current flow.Because electronic devices run at very low currents low resistance is essential.
Without gold the battery in your cellphone would need to be a lot bigger.

[TTG]

I know what you mean Starbuckone...I bought a gold watch the other day and the gold is already flaking off!

[BRIGHT SPARK]

Whilst were on the subject ....What did the Romans do for us?

[Craftypig]

Might also have something to do with the cost of mining refining etc and its relative rarity.

[hc4361]

If you google 'gold uses' you will see it is used in different industries, technology, art and has medical uses.

[starone]

Thanks for your answers everyone. I see it is more useful than I thought.

[beso]

Bright Spark //Because electronic devices run at very low currents low resistance is essential. //

It is actually used where the conductors are small and consequently high current densities. It is a good conductor but just as importantly it will never corrode, reducing the size of the conductor or creating a poor contact at the joins.

It is used extensively as the conductors inside electronic chips.

[Prudie]

I once read that if all the gold that had ever been 'mined' was made into one big lump it would fit in the space under the Eiffel Tower. I've no idea if that's true. How you feeling StarB?

[askyourgran]

Now that is worth getting wet for ansteyg.

[jno]

Wiki says "It has been estimated that all gold ever refined would form a single cube 20 m (66 ft) on a side". Most of it still exists. It has scarcity and beauty and workability, so it's long been prized.

Its use in conductors is relatively recent. Thirty years ago its monetary value was on the slide as it didn't have any practical use, unlike silver, which was used for camera film; now it does.

[Khandro]

Apparently. huge new deposits have been found in the Yukon, surely this will affect the 'Rarity' of this material and therefor its value?
http://www.wealthdail...-yukon-gold-rush/2670

[wildwood]

Gold is precious because of is rarity, they are thus it is a commodity currency for trading. When you think about it, banknotes and coins are nowhere near their manufacturing cost, it is just another trading currency.

In the early ages other things like hard to find pebbles and cattle was/is used as currency.

[jno]

Khandro, yes, it will, though there's no saying how much.