Gold and silver are precious metals and are used extensively for jewellery. They not only look good, can be a love token , and a store of wealth, as well as being perfect metals to set gemstones and diamonds into.

But both of these metals also have extremely important physical properties which make them invaluable in many industrial and electrical and medical processes.

GOLD AND SILVER ARE 100% RECYCLABLE

We have included below various information showing how gold and silver are used in their various forms in manufacturing, industry and medicine.We hope that you agree with us that the collection and recycling of such valuable metals is important .

GOLD

Gold has been used for centuries for jewellery and decoration. In addition to the more familiar rings, brooches, necklaces, and ear rings, gold is used as gold leaf for decoration and protection, screen printing (directly on to bone china, earthenware, porcelain, and glass surfaces or decals).

GOLD IN ELECTRONICS

Gold is a really useful metal for electronics because of its inertness and physical properties. Gold is used for electrical contacts, spring contacts, bonding wire, solder alloys, bonding wire, bumping wire, electroplating, and sputtering targets. Gold is also a useful brazing material. Gold is used for coating space satellites, as it is a good IR reflector and is inert.

GOLD IN MEDECINE

Since gold is inert and possesses useful properties when alloyed, gold is used extensively for dentistry in gold teeth, dental attachments, inserts, and solders. Similarly, gold is used increasingly for medical implants in eyes and ears, as well as many other medically useful wires, tubes, sheets, and foils. Disodium aurothiomalate is administered (intramuscular) as a treatment for arthritis. The gold isotope 198Au is used for treating cancer and other conditions.

Gold is used in nanotechnology applications as colloids, conjugates, nanoparticle inks, nanoparticle solutions, and nanopowders.

SILVER

Silver is a 'precious metal' and is extremely popular as jewellery. However, it's main applications are in industry as a conductive metal in electrical components, in photographic uses and in medicine.

SILVER IN INDUSTRY

Silver is extremely important in many types of industry. Silver has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal. Silver is used in electrical contacts and conductors and printed circuit boards and can be found in many household products such as mobile phones, computers,and televisions. It's also used in mirrors because of its excellent reflective qualities, and as catalysts in chemical reactions. It is a crucial element in many industrial processes.

SILVER IN PHOTOPRAPHY

Silver has the ability to create a photographic image on film. Its compounds are widely used in producing photographic film, photo-paper and x-ray films. Although this usage was expected to decline due to the popularity of digital photography, the growing cinematic film industry in India and China prefer traditional silver based film and the increased use generally of digital cameras have led to an increase in the number of photos being printed on silver based photographic paper. Overall, silver usage has remained fairly constant in this field.

SILVER IN JEWELLERY

Sterling silver is widely used for jewellery applications and is extremely popular. Here, fine silver is alloyed with copper to produce an alloy of 92.5% silver, with 7.5% copper. This' Sterling silver' is harder than pure silver and so more durable as jewellery.It has excellent crafting properties and an excellent metal to set gemstones into. Silver jewellery production has grown rapidly in recent years as the 'white look' has become so popular and as gold prices have risen and become prohibitive

SILVER IN MEDECINE

It has been known for centuries that silver kills germs but is not harmful to humans. Medical research shows that silver interrupts the ability of bacteria to form chemical bonds essential for their survival. These bonds are vital for the development of bacterial cell structure, so bacteria essentially fall apart in the presence of silver. Silver usage in medical applications is expected to rise in the future as anti-bacterial agents containing silver will rise. Silver also finds uses in burn treatment where it has been found to accelerate healing and new tissue generation.