In manufacture of green gold jewellery Cadmium is used more than the permitted levels. Media hype against the use of Cadmium in general and law cases against jewellery retailors selling Cadmium tainted articles, have almost driven this light weight metal into oblivion. The permitted level of 0.03% is at best unachievable and at worst ridiculous. Cadmium has, like every metal good and bad side. Here is a review:
The metal Cadmium is classed with Zinc and Mercury in the Periodic Table. It has excellent features for using as an alloy metal in fabricating designer wear. Hardness of 2.0 in Mohs’ scale , melting point of 321 degree Celsius , density of 8.65 g/cm3 all go in tandem to make this soft bluish white metal very useful in jewellers’ repertoire.
It has multiple uses in jewellery manufacture. A key plus is seamless joining Cadmium offers to the workbench when minute pieces have to be banded together. Solders made from gold and Cadmium alloy comes very handy. Where any plating is to be carried out Cadmium is used as it promotes adhesiveness. Elsewhere, in the fashion jewellery industry, Cadmium is often alloyed with tin to give a fine metal flow that can be used to create excellent filigree work. Cadmium in general helps in fluidity and work hardening.
Yet, the big plus is not in normal jewellery, but in fabricating scintillating green gold jewellery. Cadmium is a definite must in every shades of green gold. Soft green gold items require trace element of Cadmium which can range below quarter per cent. Light green gold needs at-least 2 % while dark or deep green requires nothing less than 4 % of Cadmium in the alloy mixture.
On the flip side Cadmium toxicity is said to cause troubles in kidney, heart, lungs and tabooed as carcinogenic. Anaemia, Arthritis, Diabetes, Hypertension are some of the other notable ills. The main plank in which Cadmium toxicity works is making intrusion into the good job done by zinc and copper in human body. Yet most of its ill effects can be countered by using other minerals and metals. Chemical analyst ARL lists nutrients that counteract toxic side of rogue Cadmium. Amongst these, Zinc, Copper, Iron, Selenium and Manganese are highlighted as effective counter-balancing metals.
Ironically, Cadmium has unexpected allies in the form of its distractors. Dr Paul Eck, for example described Cadmium as “Pseudo – Masculine mineral” mainly with the intention of disparaging. Eventually, this resulted in building up of craze amongst men and women in getting Macho quality by using more Cadmium in one form or another. Irony has no bounds when it comes to Cadmium. Let us foray into cosmics of Cadmium. It is a soft metal, yet it is reported to give you toughness. Most chemical analysts accept that it has no necessary function in human body. Still everyone berates Cadmium toxicity as the main reason for most if not all diseases afflicting men. Here is the crowning moment. No blood test can diagnose whether a person has excess or deficit Cadmium in his body. Because, Cadmium vanishes into smithereens figuratively after it enters into human body.
My conclusion is, let’s work with Cadmium with sufficient safeguards. Gem & jewellery industry has to use gems & metals to make good piece of jewellery. And gems & metals are great resonators and vibrators motivating, influencing and directing you to succeed in life and business. What is needed, therefore, is to find ways and means of using metals including Cadmium. A good suggestion is to employ a proper alloy of metals that can mitigate ill effects of Cadmium toxicity. By the way, who does not want to be Macho these days?
Cheers!
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