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Gold Education

Although it is unknown when Gold was actually discovered, it is known that it was first found in riverbeds and creeks. Gold has been used in Jewelry and Art for about 6000 years (Around 4000 BC). Sumerians and Egyptians were probably the first to work with Gold in about 3000 BC. They used it to create beautiful objects which were used to show power. They also believed that Gold had a mystical power. They found that Gold had a low melting temperature and that it could be pounded paper thin, pulled into wire, or poured into molds. These techniques have virtually remained unchanged. Since then virtually every society has viewed Gold for its power and prestige it conveyed. It has always been a symbol of power and beauty. Gold and jewelry are synonymous in people’s minds.


Americans had their taste of Gold discovery and mining in The Great California Gold Rush of 1848. Many people grew extremely wealthy off of this discovery. It began with people sifting the water in rivers and creeks which was followed by mining. By now most of the surface Gold has been found. Today Gold has to be mined sometimes thousands of feet below the earth’s surface. Figuring out where to mine is a very complicated process. It begins with infrared photography taken from space satellites. Then Geologists study these pictures and point the miners in the right direction. With guidance from Geologists, Miners drill samples and examine them. They then decide if it is worth mining or not. If they believe it is worth digging, they have to get permission from the Government to dig. After they get permission from the Government, drilling equipment is brought in. The Gold is then mined and the ground must be repaired. Today land reclamation is a huge part of mining. In fact after a mine is exhausted, and the land is reclaimed, it is often more beautiful than what it was before they began to mine. This is very important to protect the environment. This is done by planting forests full of trees, creating lakes, and planting any other type of agriculture for that specific area.

In gold's purest form it is bright yellow in color. Gold's malleable and ductile characteristics are appreciated by both metal workers and jewelers because it is easily made into wires or sheets. This is why it is used today in countless inventions. A few examples of them are Microchips (Excellent conductor of electricity), Vehicle airbags, and the visors that Astronauts wear to protect their faces from the Sun have a Gold film on them. Gold is also used as currency. It is bought and sold in the form of “Gold Bullion.” Gold Bullion is a bar of solid Gold. Shapes traditionally were rectangular. These bricks of Gold were 7 inches long, 3 5/8 inches wide, and between 1 5/8 to 1 ¾ inches thick. More recently, a trapezoidal shape has replaced the rectangular shape.