Did you know that gold, a staple in wedding rings (and happy marriages), is processed using ion exchange resins?

Gold is expensive due to its amazing properties and its scarcity; only one out of every billion atoms of rock on the earth is gold. The countries with the most gold are South Africa, United States, and Australia.

When the gold-rich rocks are mined, crushed and dissolved in acidic solvents, they are typically mixed with other metals such as zinc and iron and hazardous chemicals such as mercury. Using an anion exchange resin, pure gold ions are selectively extracted and concentrated on the polymeric backbone. Afterward, the resin is incinerated, leaving pure gold ash which is used to form jewelry and coatings.

Click here to learn more about hydrometallury products for gold purification.