It’s Gold Jim, but not as we know it

[Fishface220]

So, was having a very interesting conversation yesterday with my 15 year old lad and we were talking about my trust in governments / banking system and the reason I hold gold. He asked what would happen when they start making Gold in labs and how that would effect the price of “real” gold. 

We’ve seen Pandora sell lab created diamonds cheaper than real diamonds.

My answer was that it would never be the same as real gold but i guess it’ll only be a matter of time before it’ll be impossible to tell it apart and the market prices drop

 

[MancunianStacker]

I’m ”hear” the Russians managed to do it but the cost involved in the alchemy cost more than the price of gold itself and it took a long time to get a decent amount made. But like any process if they can make it more efficient over the years maybe it will affect bullion prices.

Older coins and sovereigns could do well in the future as they I’ll be guaranteed as real gold and no chance of mock gold being used due to them being pre-fake good times.

Old slabbed (any lower grade) Sovereigns is something I’m buying more of.

[MancunianStacker]

https://www.cnet.com/culture/bling-researchers-create-24k-gold-in-the-lab/

[MancunianStacker]

https://www.wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/mobile/2014/05/02/can-gold-be-created-from-other-elements/
 

Couldn’t find the article about Russia but I read about that 5 years ago at least 

[Fishface220]

30 minutes ago, MancunianStacker said:

https://www.wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/mobile/2014/05/02/can-gold-be-created-from-other-elements/
 

Couldn’t find the article about Russia but I read about that 5 years ago at least 

Quite like the sound of radioactive gold.... at least then you’ll be able to see those “special occasions” 1/8th sovereigns you see advertised in the Sunday papers better. 

 

 

[Bigmarc]

There is a lot of new tech about recycling that may push the process forward, long way to go but it was a interesting watch. 

 

 

[Fishface220]

17 minutes ago, Bigmarc said:

There is a lot of new tech about recycling that may push the process forward, long way to go but it was a interesting watch. 

 

 

I tried stripping down an old laptop yesterday just to see what sort of bits were in there.... a lot of effort required on my part. (More fun with a lump hammer).

They used E waste for the medals in the last Olympics 

[LawrenceChard]

1 hour ago, Fishface220 said:

So, was having a very interesting conversation yesterday with my 15 year old lad and we were talking about my trust in governments / banking system and the reason I hold gold. He asked what would happen when they start making Gold in labs and how that would effect the price of “real” gold. 

We’ve seen Pandora sell lab created diamonds cheaper than real diamonds.

My answer was that it would never be the same as real gold but i guess it’ll only be a matter of time before it’ll be impossible to tell it apart and the market prices drop

 

If and when we do manage to create gold in a laboratory, it will be real gold, and identical to all other gold already in existence.

I just tried and failed to find an excellent online article I read a few weeks ago about how and where earth's gold was formed, however there are many sources online which give a reaonable account, for example: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211115123459.htm

One of your responses mentions radioactive gold. This is well known, but almost irrelevant to investors and the general public. I had a conversation some years ago with an "ex-atomic-scientist". I had stated that there were multiple radioactive isotopes of gold, and he was telling that there were none. In one sense, we were both right, but I was "righter" than him!

This is a good source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_gold

The half lives are so short, in archaeological terms, that radioactive gold isotopes are almost non-existent in practical terms.

 

[Fishface220]

“If and when we do manage to create gold in a laboratory, it will be real gold, and identical to all other gold already in existence”

 

I think that was the point my son was making... if they can start making it so it’s identical and cheaper what’s happens to the spot price? I’m guessing it’ll drop like a stone if the market is flooded but the numismatic stuff will hold its own.

Reckon he’s worried about his inheritance being worth bugger all by the time I shuffle off. 

Edited March 20, 2022 by Fishface220
Spelling

[Bigmarc]

23 minutes ago, Fishface220 said:

I tried stripping down an old laptop yesterday just to see what sort of bits were in there.... a lot of effort required on my part. (More fun with a lump hammer).

They used E waste for the medals in the last Olympics 

I am a maintenance engineer, I have a large collection of silver and copper from old parts but have not looked into gold as I don't come buy electronics much. I am a firm believer that in 50 years time everything will be recycled.

[SidS]

I guess it'll be branded differently. Like all the fuss made over Welsh gold, and the astronomical prices they attach to it. It's still element number 79 at the end of the day, just like the stuff that comes out of the ground in South Africa or Canada. Albeit, perhaps better branded.

Not dissimilar to Bargain Hunt where they lush over a piece of Tiffany and Co, or Georg Jenson silver, but then instantly dismiss something that looks much the same but doesn't have the current in fashion 'brand'.

Imagine how much you could charge for an half sovereign batch struck in Wales made from Welsh gold?

Hmm now there's a thought.

So artificial gold, if they do pull it off, the production process will probably leave a marker clue of something.

Would governments, who declare to have no interest in gold, but have stockpiles of it, want something that could be massed produced, owned by the masses cheaply and make their holdings crumble in value? It does beg the question, does it not?

 

[Stu]

3 minutes ago, Bigmarc said:

I am a maintenance engineer, I have a large collection of silver and copper from old parts but have not looked into gold as I don't come buy electronics much. I am a firm believer that in 50 years time everything will be recycled.

I was never a fan of your recycled toilet paper😄

[LawrenceChard]

22 minutes ago, Fishface220 said:

“If and when we do manage to create gold in a laboratory, it will be real gold, and identical to all other gold already in existence”

I think that was the point my son was making... if they can start making it so it’s identical and cheaper what’s happens to the spot price? I’m guessing it’ll drop like a stone if the market is flooded but the numismatic stuff will hold its own.

Reckon he’s worried about his inheritance being worth bugger all by the time I shuffle off. 

For now, he doesn't need to worry, the synthetic stuff costs far more to make, it could even increase the market price / value of gold.

Try to stick around as long as possible though, and aim to spend at least 90% of his inheritance before he gets it.

Oh, and I / we do have some Russian synthetic (therefore real, genuine) diamonds we bought about 20 years ago (before sanctions), they are yellow.

[Bumble]

Gold is a chemical element, so you can't make it from other elements, except by a nuclear reaction. That is so expensive, it is unlikely to be commercially viable any time in the near future.

There are asteroids that are mostly gold, so one possibility for getting lots of gold is to mine such an asteroid and return the product to Earth. This is still highly difficult and expensive, though it might become feasible later this century.

Another possibility is extracting minerals including gold by electrolysis of seawater. Again, the problem is expense. For this to become feasible, we would need to crack the problem of generating electricity from fusion power or from some other very cheap source. 

[sovereignsteve]

2 hours ago, MancunianStacker said:

https://www.cnet.com/culture/bling-researchers-create-24k-gold-in-the-lab/

Hardly "creating" gold, simply reducing a gold salt to metallic gold.

 

2 hours ago, MancunianStacker said:

https://www.wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/mobile/2014/05/02/can-gold-be-created-from-other-elements/
 

Couldn’t find the article about Russia but I read about that 5 years ago at least 

This is the true alchemy.

The holy grail would be to convert a base metal to gold, but you wouldn't tell anybody or produce much all in one go; drip feed the market🤫

[sixgun]

5 minutes ago, sovereignsteve said:

The holy grail would be to convert a base metal to gold, but you wouldn't tell anybody or produce much all in one go; drip feed the market🤫

So it wouldn't be like paper contracts - i mean they produce millions of them in one go and flood the market.

Edited March 20, 2022 by sixgun

[sovereignsteve]

6 minutes ago, sixgun said:

So it wouldn't be like paper contracts - i mean they produce millions of them in one go and flood the market.

Similar actually. If you wanted to supress the price, simply publish the paper that shows how to do it. The prospect of cheap manufactured gold, it's price would plummet.

Actually, I'm surprised they haven't tried this yet. Get the MSM to spread the rumour it can be done.

[Happypanda88]

24 minutes ago, sovereignsteve said:

Get the MSM to spread the rumour it can be done

How about stealing gold from countries with a weak military force ? That would be like take candy from a baby ! 

You could start spreading fake news via MSM about those leaders in power and claim they are tyrants oppressing their own people. Then via MSM promote human rights, freedom and democracy for those countries and overthrow those tyrannical leaders by a coup.

All you need to do now is transport the tonnes of gold back home. If any ask then tell them you are securing the gold from the Russian. 

I'm sure this would work !  😉

[MancunianStacker]

I believe all the gold on earth was made due to a star supanova and then all the dust particles forming into planets 🪐  etc.

It can be made but in very small amounts and at high cost per milligram.

A weird but nice feeling when you wear part of a dead star on your finger 💍 

[LawrenceChard]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

I was never a fan of your recycled toilet paper😄

We did receive a two-roll pack of joke recycled toilet paper once, from a customer who marketed joke products.

It was white, with brown streaks marbled through it!

😎

[LawrenceChard]

2 minutes ago, MancunianStacker said:

A weird but nice feeling when you wear part of a dead star on your finger 💍 

What, like Marilyn Monroe?

😎

[LawrenceChard]

11 minutes ago, Happypanda88 said:

How about stealing gold from countries with a weak military force ? That would be like take candy from a baby ! 

You could start spreading fake news via MSM about those leaders in power and claim they are tyrants oppressing their own people. Then via MSM promote human rights, freedom and democracy for those countries and overthrow those tyrannical leaders by a coup.

All you need to do now is transport the tonnes of gold back home. If any ask then tell them you are securing the gold from the Russian. 

I'm sure this would work !  😉

I'm working on a secret deal with the Ukrainians, to buy all of Russia's gold at half price when Kyiv wins.

Slava Ukraini! / Героям слава!

😎

[Happypanda88]

5 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

I'm working on a secret deal with the Ukrainians, to buy all of Russia's gold at half price when Kyiv wins.

Slava Ukraini! / Героям слава!

😎

Did you manage to secure a deal on Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi's gold as well ? 😎

[sovereignsteve]

21 minutes ago, Happypanda88 said:

How about stealing gold from countries with a weak military force ? That would be like take candy from a baby ! 

You could start spreading fake news via MSM about those leaders in power and claim they are tyrants oppressing their own people. Then via MSM promote human rights, freedom and democracy for those countries and overthrow those tyrannical leaders by a coup.

All you need to do now is transport the tonnes of gold back home. If any ask then tell them you are securing the gold from the Russian. 

I'm sure this would work !  😉

Na that would never happen surely 😄

[stefffana]

I have read in my childhood about a goose who can make golden eggs.

Aesop was the guy with this information if I remember well.😊

Edited March 20, 2022 by stefffana