"All that Glitters is not Gold"

Bisha gold bars

"All that Glitters is not Gold"

Tseghai Kidane
http://www.meseret.org/science-issuematters/
June 12, 2015

What makes gold such significant commodity in life?

Some of us, we might think that because the direct role gold (Au) plays as monetary reserve substitute, particularly for certain economically powerful countries when it crushes-meaning demand value is less, they tend to amass them in large quantities for less so that to take advantage whenever the supply value picks up least to say.

It is true, however, the preciousness of the item is retained dated back to the ancient barter trading times when it was used as cash exchange value for simple reason that chemically it’s very inert and doesn’t react with air (oxygen),  water and dilute(mild)acids with the exception that for extraction purpose from the ground, industrially at the beginning it is also dissolved slowly by the combined oxidizing action of oxygen and the complexion action of the cyanide ion (CN⁻) or its softness in terms of its malleability and yellowish – gold colored character physically.

Yet, because of its distinctive physical as well as chemical characteristic, traditionally in almost every cultured societal part of the world, it is used as different kinds of ornaments.

Pure gold is very soft and is often alloyed with other metals to make it harder. The purity of gold and its alloys (fineness) is often in carats. Pure gold is 24 carats and alloys described as 22, 18, 9 carat etc.

For this reason, in some cultural customs as prerequisite for wedding arrangements, preponderantly the parents from the bride side may wish to see how pure it is, otherwise, it can turn out to be a disgrace or infidelity for the future of the family. Or looking at different aspect of the case, a group has to be bounded by the cultural values and hard to afford, therefore, they have to rely on coated glittering materials. In a scandalous sense, a group can also be trapped as if they have purchased fine one.

Here is a story & in fact it has been a spur for me to compile the piece. While I was on a bike coming from a library in a bright, sunny one summer after noon, actually it was last year & I was approached by two guys with Arabic accented in a car. They greeted me in Arabic having expressed themselves that they were from Turkish background & I was able to reply with one or two words as opening up myself for that matter.

One of them tells me, we are coming out of province and trying to get back somehow we are stuck running out of gas, unfortunately but we’ve lost our wallet and asks me politely if I can spare change. Having realized that myself coming from a walk of life, then, I said well and I decided to share few bucks what was in my wallet.

The trouble was: that much wasn’t enough to drive few more miles all the way back and he had to convince me that I should add few more bucks. Again, I suggested him to see me where the nearest ATM-money teller and I handed him few bucks more having assessed it wouldn’t jeopardize my life.

Here we go, he took out his ring from his finger, necklace from his neck, gave to me and begged me to give him few more leaving his where about address in the event I would return his belonging and he would give me back my money.

What a mesmerizing! I insisted that was far I could go and I reminded him also there was no reason for me to keep his belongings. By then, suspiciously it became clear to my mind that he wasn’t leaving me pure and I didn’t bother providing him with my personal address either.

Again, I didn’t mind and having calculated it wasn’t risky, I made my mind to give him. When I got home, the first physical option I had to check without stopping by the hock shop was: I had a piece of magnet and tried to induce it to the materials. They were magnetized to some degrees unfortunately. Then, I came to conclude that they were alloys of gold of common ferromagnetic materials like nickel or cobalt with 9 carats or less.

Other possible option was chemically by dissolving it with a strong mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. Dipping the material on a drip of the mixture if the material starts to dissolve, then, it is pure, otherwise, it’s an alloy.

Coincidently in a matter of weeks after, while I was hanging out in the town’s shopping mall, the two guy’s tried to scum me again, but suddenly the driver recognized me and they slipped away.

For some reason, pretending I didn’t pay attention and after having spotted carefully the information of vehicle they were driving, it was the right decision for me to leave the matter up to the legal authorities.

For them, coming into ῾all that glitters is not gold ’ part of the world at odd times, it could be a means of survival, on the other hand, looking at the flip picture aspect of the victims story, it can be a huge negative consequence in their earning lives depending the enormousness of the loss is.

Sponsored Ads