The price of gold and silver is always more expensive when compared to the price of other metals like iron and copper. This is because Gold and silver are considered more valuable metals when compared to other metals. But why are these metals valuable? To answer this very question, here are The Reasons why Gold and Silver are considered Valuable Metals:
They don’t Oxidize Easily
The atomic structure of metals indicates that they tend to lose electrons to form more stable positive ions. Metals with higher atomic numbers also tend to readily lose electrons due to the distance between the valence shell and the nucleus of the atom. However, noble metals such as gold, silver, and platinum do not readily lose electrons.
Difficulty in Extraction from Ores
Due to the noble and unreactive nature of metals such as gold and silver, unique methods and higher amounts of energy are required to separate them from their ores. The extraction of other, more reactive metals from their ores is typically easier than the extraction of unreactive metals from ores.
Properties of Gold and Silver
Gold is the most malleable and ductile metal, whereas silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity among all metals. These properties make gold and silver extremely valuable metals.
They don’t Corrode or Tarnish Easily
Noble metals such as gold and silver do not corrode or tarnish easily. This is because of their low reactivity. In fact, in the reactivity series of metals, Gold, Silver, and Platinum are located at the bottom, implying that they are the least reactive metals.
Due to these properties of gold and silver, they are more valuable (and therefore more expensive) than other metals. To learn about how Gold is used in the gold foil experiment, visit: