Gold really isn’t all that special. There are far more useful elements out there. And several are even rarer than gold. (I should note that the following list is limited to elements within the Earth’s crust because, let’s face it, no one is going to search any deeper than that, and asteroid mining is out of the question for now.) All of these, like gold, are noble metals, meaning that they are resistant to corrosion.
Gold is rare in the Earth’s crust, but several elements are even rarer (credit: USGS)
Platinum (Pt): Most familiar for its use in jewelry, platinum is more often used in the systems that control vehicle emissions in our cars. Other uses include electronics, spark plugs and in drugs to treat cancer.
Palladium (Pd): Palladium is similar to platinum in both appearance and in use; it appears in vehicle emissions equipment and electronics. It’s also a key component in fuel cells.