While gold has traditionally been associated with money, jewellery and investments, there are many other uses for the precious metal. From telephones to the space program, gold's unique properties have made it invaluable to a variety of industries.

Electronics

• Touchtone telephone typically contains 33 gold-plated contacts
• Used in contacts, switches, relays and connectors - contacts are electroplated with a very thin film of gold
• Used in semiconductor devices, where fine gold wire is used to connect parts
• Used in space programs as a radiation shield to deflect the burning heat of the sun - in sheets 0.15mm thick

 

Dentistry

• Used in dentistry for almost 3000 years due to its malleability, resistance to corrosion and non-allergic properties
• Etruscans in 7th century BC used gold wire to fix false teeth when their own were lost
• The dental sector's demand for gold is approximately 60 tonnes annually.

 

Engineering

• Used in a myriad of engineering applications including brazing alloys, as a lubricating coating and in electrical applications
• Used as a thin coating in building glazing to reflect heat radiation, keeping buildings cool in summer and warmer in winter - one ounce of gold typically covers one thousand square feet of glass

 

Gold and money

• First pure gold coins were made between 560 and 547 BC; gold coins have continued as legal tender since that time
• Egyptians mined gold before 2000 BC and the first coin containing gold was struck in the eighth century BC
• Central banks have been major holders of gold for more than 100 years
• Switzerland was the last country to tie its currency to gold; it backed 40% of its value until the Swiss joined the International Monetary Fund in 1999

Source: World Gold Council