Because 24k karat gold is so soft and malleable it is very often used in jewellery production
. However it is generally alloyed with base metals to alter its hardness as it is so soft that it could become damaged. The melting point, colour and other properties are also changed when alloyed. In the case of lower karat jewellery, this is useful for scrap gold when the jewellery is no longer wanted. This scrap gold is melted down and then made into something else.