You’re on the right track if you’re interested in how gold is made. What is fascinating about precious metals is that they will always have inherent value regardless of market prices.
It’s rare and beautiful. Its ability to conduct electricity, reflect light, and stay liquid at all temperatures can’t be replicated.
How is gold made? In this article, we’ll explore everything about the journey from the core of our planet to become a chunk of shiny gold. So let’s get started.
What Is Gold?
The discovery of gold has been linked to many different cultures throughout history. The first known mention of gold was from the ancient Egyptians, who called it “the yellow metal.”
Gold is a precious metal that has been used for thousands of years. It was one of the first metals to be mined by humans, and it has been used for trade, jewelry, and other arts. Nowadays, it’s also used to produce scientific instruments, electronics, and medical equipment.
Gold is a bright, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. As one of the densest metals, it has a specific gravity of 19.32 grams/cm3.
How Is Gold Made
Gold is found in two primary deposits: lode or vein deposits mined by excavation and placer deposits mined by dredging.
It is available in nuggets, flakes, and grains. It can be found in small amounts of gold compounds such as auric chloride or chloroauric acid soluble in water.
A gold bar is a metal ingot cast to create a form of standardized tradeable metal. Gold bars can vary depending on the desired shape, size, and purity.
Gold bars are made by taking raw gold and melting it down to create an ingot. This process can be done using either the lost wax or the dore refining methods.
The lost wax method involves pouring molten metal into a mold created from a wax model. The dore refining method involves melting gold ore into smaller pieces and then casting those pieces into an ingot mold.
The purity of the gold must be higher than 90% for it to be considered for use as a standard tradeable metal (gold bullion).
Types of Places to Sell or Store Gold
Gold is a valuable commodity that has been used as currency for centuries. Unsurprisingly, it is still the most popular metal to use in jewelry. But what if you’re looking to sell or store your gold?
There are many reasons why people sell their gold. Some of these reasons include the need for quick cash, downsizing, or even just because they don’t wear it anymore and want to invest in something different.
Bullion Banks
Bullion banks are the most common place where you can sell your gold. They are financial institutions that buy, store and sell gold. Bullion banks will typically offer buyers and sellers a price based on the spot price of gold when they trade.
They will also offer insurance on your gold to protect against loss, theft, or damage during transit.
Gold Depository
A bullion bank typically offers gold to anyone willing to buy it. Depositories usually deliver only one type of physical settlement product: gold. They will store your gold, so you never have to worry about holding on to your physical assets.
Ways You Can Invest in Gold
Gold is a tangible asset that can be stored in any form, including coins and bars. Bar-sized gold bars are also commonly referred to as bullion bars. Bullion banks typically offer these bullion bars in various sizes and weights.
Investing in Gold Stocks
Gold stocks have many benefits. They are not just an investment; they are also insurance policies. Gold stocks offer investor protection from inflation and currency issues.
The dividends you get from the stocks are often higher than those from any other type of stock. Gold stocks have low or no debt. They are relatively easy to trade.
Investing in Physical Gold Bars or Coins
If you want to invest in gold but don’t want all the risks associated with owning it, you can buy physical gold bars or coins. You can keep them at home, store them in a bank deposit box, or deposit them at your local bank branch.
Gold coins are a good option because they are tangible, can be used to show wealth, and can serve as an investment. They also often have a high numismatic value, the price it trades for in the secondary market.
The downside to gold coins is that they can be heavy and expensive to move. They also tend to be difficult for beginners because they are not easy to sell, store, or trade. Greater liquidation flexibility is offered by one-ounce gold bars.
The Perth Mint in Australia, Credit Swiss, and PAMP in Switzerland all produce 10 oz gold bars. Other acceptable bars are made by Johnson Matthey, Engelhard, and Metalor.
When purchasing more than 100 ounces, investors frequently prefer 10-oz. bars due to the possibility of the dealer receiving a more significant profit margin by weight.
In theory, one could purchase 2-ounce gold bars and save on storage costs, but it is unusual because dealers often offer discounts for buying quantities more significant than one at a time.
Key Takeaways
Now you know how is gold made. Gold is one of the most liquid commodities in the world. Gold can be used as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty.
Investing in gold can be done in two ways: investing in gold bullion and investing in gold mining stocks.
If you are looking for more tips and tricks, then make sure to check out the rest of our site today for more investing tips.
